


You Hold The Key To My Heart

by dduucckk



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: :))), Alternate Universe - Victorian, Because I want them to be, Blind Regulus, Child Abuse, F/M, Fluff, Greenhouses, Love Letters, M/M, Multi, Slow Burn, Some Period-Typical Homophobia, but just from sirius's parents tbh, everyone else is chill, gardener remus, greenhouses are very important in this fic, it's only shown once but it's in there so take care of yourselves, lord sirius
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:20:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 38
Words: 26,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27060355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dduucckk/pseuds/dduucckk
Summary: Sirius threw himself on his bed, not caring about how he must be wrinkling his clothes. In fact, he relished the idea. At least his parents would have a reason to be angry with him today. He stayed there, thinking about soft curls and a sweet face that he barely caught a glimpse of, until the sun was shining directly through his window and James arrived to help him dress for dinner.Or, a victorian au in which Remus is a gardener, Sirius is a dramatic rich kid, and they fall in love.
Relationships: Regulus Black/James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 15
Kudos: 130
Collections: Wolfstar Games 2020





	1. Part One: Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This year's theme is communication, and I'm on team sight. My prompt was this picture:  
>   
> 
> 
> I want to give a huge thank you to my beta reader, who was absolutely wonderful & I couldn't have asked for a better one <3 Another thank you to the mods running this fest, y'all are amazing and I'm so happy to have this be my first fest. And of course, all the amazing creators participating: y'all are also amazing!! <3 <3

“You’re not to say a word to any of them unless they speak to you first,” Mrs McGonagall instructed sternly, “but you must always be attentive. Anticipate their needs. Pour them water before they know they are thirsty, fill their plate before they know they are hungry. Understood?” Remus nodded, privately wondering why he needed to know this if he’d been hired as a gardener. Mrs McGonagall, the housekeeper at Grimmauld House, gave one firm nod of approval, then called over a passing footman. “James, please escort Mr Lupin to the greenhouses and help him find Hagrid.” The footman, who couldn’t be any older than Remus, grinned at him and beckoned for Remus to follow him.

James led him out the kitchen door and across the massive grounds of the house. “I’m James Potter,” he said with a bright smile. “What’s your name?”

“Remus Lupin,” Remus replied. He gave James a tentative smile, and James returned it enthusiastically.

James pointed out the greenhouses near the house, surprising Remus by walking right past them. “I thought Mrs McGonagall wanted you to show me the greenhouses?”

“Oh, she didn’t mean those ones,” James said. “Those ones are for the family, however rarely they go there. Hagrid won’t be there at this time of day.”

Remus paused for a moment, looking at the greenhouses. They were beautiful, that much he could see from a distance, with elaborate wrought iron holding the glass panels in place. He couldn’t wait to see the inside of them. His gaze followed the wall of the house, up to the top floor where he could see an open window. Remus squinted. He thought–no, he definitely _did_ see someone leaning out of the window. Before he could see anything else, though, James called out for him to catch up, and Remus had to jog to keep up as James continued walking.

“Where are we going, then?” Remus panted when he finally managed to reach James.

“Just over there.” James pointed to a small hut on the edge of the woods, surrounded by gardens and greenhouses. “That’s where Hagrid lives.”

Remus decided that he liked Hagrid. His decision was cemented when he saw Hagrid, who was whispering to a pumpkin patch and jumped when James called out.

“Hagrid! I’ve brought your apprentice!”

“Not his apprentice,” Remus hissed in James’s ear.

“Fine, new groundskeeper,” James corrected himself.

“Ah, yes,” Hagrid lumbered over, a giant of a man whose face was almost entirely taken over by his hair and beard. His dark eyes were kind, however, and his face crinkled up in a smile as he shook Remus’s hand. “And what’s yer name, lad?”

Remus matched Hargrid’s smile as the man’s enormous hand engulfed his own. “Remus Lupin, sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Now I won’t have you calling me Sir,” Hagrid said. “Save that for the butler and the valet.”

Remus nodded and followed Hagrid into the small hut. James bid them farewell and walked back in the direction of the big house, but promised to come back later if he had the time. Remus couldn’t help but feel glad that he had already made a friend.

Hagrid paused at the door and whistled. Remus heard barking from the other side of the hut, and peered around it to see four massive dogs running towards him. He jerked back and pressed himself against the wall just in time to avoid being trampled as they jumped up on Hagrid, who greeted them happily.

“These are Fluffy, Norberta, Fang, and Aragog.” Hagrid introduced them with all the pride of a parent showing off their infant.

Remus tentatively reached out to pet one. “Norberta?” he asked.

“I thought she was a boy when I first got ‘er,” Hagrid explained. He pushed open the door and Remus and the dogs followed him into the cottage. “I named ‘er Norbert, but one of the stable boys set me right–Charlie, his name is. Great kid. Anyway, I changed ‘er name ter Norberta after that.”

Remus laughed and gave Norberta another pat on the head. “She seems very friendly.”

“Big softies, all of ‘em,” Hagrid rumbled. Remus stood by the front door, his cap in his hands, and watched as Hagrid shuffled around. He lit the stove, filled the kettle from a nearby bucket, and narrowly avoided tripping over a dog. Aragog, if Remus was correct. Hagrid put the kettle on to boil and ushered Remus into the house. “Sit down, sit down. Do you want anything ter eat?”

Remus nodded eagerly. Hagrid put a plate of biscuits on the table in front of him, and Remus bit into one only to find that it was rock hard. He winced, rubbing his jaw where it hurt from his overly enthusiastic bite, and carefully placed the biscuit back on the plate. The kettle whistled, and Hagrid shuffled around the kitchen, pouring two steaming mugs and asking Remus what kind of tea he liked.

Once the tea had steeped, Hagrid brought it over and sat across from Remus. Remus took a tentative sip of the tea and was relieved to find it much better than the biscuit. He saw Hagrid take a biscuit from the plate, and Remus took another, just to be polite. He dipped it in his tea, hoping the liquid would soften it at least a little bit. Hagrid bit down on his biscuit with astonishing ease, and Remus wondered if his own jaw was very weak, or if Hagrid’s was very strong.

“Whereabouts did you grow up?” Hagrid asked. One of the dogs trotted over and rested its head in his lap, and he patted it indulgently.

“London,” Remus said. He didn’t elaborate. It was pretty clear what part he came from. He certainly didn’t grow up around houses like Grimmauld House. He lifted the biscuit to his mouth and took a small bite of the soggy edge. At least he could eat it now, even if the texture was unpleasant.

“What’s the family like?” he asked. Hagrid grimaced.

“I don’t want ter speak ill of them…”

“But there’s not much else to say?” Remus surmised.

“Exactly,” Hagrid confirmed. “Yeh’d do best to stay out of their way as much as ye can. Especially the Lord and Lady. Yeh don’t want them finding you anywhere you shouldn’t be.”

“I suppose I just won’t go anywhere I’m not supposed to, then,” Remus said with a laugh. Hagrid chuckled.

“I knew yeh had some sense about you, lad.” He stood up, and Remus followed suit, gratefully putting down his biscuit. “I’ll take you ter meet the other groundskeepers. Excellent bunch of lads, they are, yeh’ll fit right in.”

The other groundskeepers were indeed, as it turned out, an excellent bunch of lads. They introduced themselves as Frank Longbottom, Caradoc Dearborn, and Benji Fenwick, and welcomed him loudly and enthusiastically.

“You can’t be any worse than the last one,” Benji said.

“Even if you are from London!” Caradoc added in his thick Scottish accent.

All three of them were a few years older than him, and from what Remus could tell, they’d been working here for quite a while. Frank’s father was the head gardener at Malfoy Manor, the neighbouring estate, and he sent Frank to work at Grimmauld House as soon as he was old enough to be hired. “We send all the money we can to my ma,” he explained, “She’s been ill ever since I was little.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Remus said sympathetically. His own mother was ill for a long time before her recent death. It’s not something he likes to think about, but Frank doesn't seem much affected by it.

“I haven’t seen her in years,” he said with a shrug. “But she sends letters now and then, lets me know how she’s doing.”

Caradoc told him about growing up in a tiny Scottish village. “I ran away, wanted tae see what was out there.” He shrugged, clearly expressing his dissatisfaction with what he found.

Benji was a bit more of a mystery. All he would say was that he came to Grimmauld house at the age of fifteen, and he was happy to spend the rest of his life there if he could. “Hagrid treats us fair,” he said, “And so long I don’t talk to none of the family, they don’t talk to me.” He seemed, to Remus, like someone who would rather be around plants than people. Remus could respect that.

He followed them to the group of small huts all huddled together just within view of Hagrid’s.

“This is where the other bloke lived,” Frank said, pointing to one of the huts. “It’s yours now.”

“Who was the other guy?” Remus asked. Frank rolled his eyes.

“Some absolute tosser,” he said, “Lockhart was his name, Gilderoy Lockhart.” He put on a posh, simpering voice, and Remus had to laugh.

“What was he like, then?”

“Thought he was above the rest of us, is what he was like,” Benji muttered. “Always so posh, always sayin’ he knew what’s what.” He snorted contemptuously, but didn't say anything else.

“And the one before him!” Caradoc said with a grin, “Nervous little fella, what was he called again?”

“Something stupid, wasn’t it?” Frank frowned, trying with all his might to remember. “Quirrell, I think it was. Don’t remember his first name though. It was even more odd, if you can believe it.”

“I’m not sure I can,” Remus laughed. “But I hope I’m an improvement on them!”

Benji reached over and patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry Lupin, you’re miles ahead of both of them already.” He gave Remus a small smile and walked back to his cottage.

“That’s a big compliment from Fenwick,” Caradoc said approvingly. “If he likes you, you must be a good one.”

Remus raised his eyebrows, but said nothing as the other two went to their own respective homes. From what he gathered from their chatter, they were planning on taking a few minutes to eat before they got back to work.


	2. Part One: Chapter 2

Sirius watched the boy cross the lawn, jogging to catch up with James. He made a mental note to ask James about him later as he watched the golden brown curls disappear from his line of sight. Sirius threw himself on his bed, not caring about how he must be wrinkling his clothes. In fact, he relished the idea. At least his parents would have a reason to be angry with him today. He stayed there, thinking about soft curls and a sweet face that he barely caught a glimpse of, until the sun was shining directly through his window and James arrived to help him dress for dinner. Sirius sighed. He would have liked to show up in his wrinkled clothes, but he supposed he shouldn’t get James in trouble.

“Good to see you, James.”

“You too, my Lord.” Sirius held back a sigh at the title, but didn’t protest. He had learned from years of trying that James absolutely would not refer to him by his given name. His excuse was that if his father heard of it, he would not be pleased. Sirius was of the opinion that Potter, the butler at Grimmauld House, wouldn’t particularly mind, but James was adamant.

While Sirius had been absorbed in his thoughts, James had been selecting his dinner clothes and laying them out on the bed. Sirius held back yet another sigh at the sight of the green silk waistcoat. He seemed to be rather prone to sighing these days, he thought to himself as James helped him out of his clothes. Maybe he would sigh less if he could catch another glimpse of that boy. The thought of him almost brought on another sigh, but it was a different kind this time. Sirius didn’t mind this one so much.

“Have we hired any new staff recently?” Sirius asked in an attempt to be subtle.

Either it worked, or James chose not to comment, because all he said as he helped Sirius pull his trousers on was, “Yes, we finally got a replacement for the groundskeeper that left a month or so back.”

Sirius hummed in what he hoped was a nonchalant and vaguely uninterested manner. He saw James fighting to keep his face neutral and knew that he failed. The two of them were silent for the remainder of the time that it took for Sirius to get dressed, and then he bid James a curt farewell and left the room. He heard a snigger behind him, and refused to acknowledge it.

Sirius made his way to the dining room, nursing a vague and unfounded hope that today would be the day that Regulus was well enough to come to supper. But luck was not on his side, and when he entered the dining room, Sirius was greeted by the sight of his parents sitting, stony and silent, on opposite ends of the long table, a single place set perfectly in the middle. Sirius sat down. He didn’t speak, just sat with perfect posture, staring straight ahead in the hopes that if he was as quiet and non-disruptive as possible, his parents would ignore him. The servants came in with a parade of dishes, and Sirius stayed silent as his plate was filled. For the next ten minutes or so the only sounds in the room were the clinking of cutlery against plates and bowls. As their plates were cleared and replaced with new ones and the main course was being served, Sirius’s mother gave him a critical once-over before saying, “The tailor will be in your room first thing tomorrow morning. You need to be fitted for new clothes.”

Sirius tried to relax his shoulders and keep his face neutral. Any show of emotion would be punished. As calmly as he could, he put down his fork and knife and moved his hands to his lap, where he could twist them together as much as he wanted without his parents seeing. “May I ask why?”

“Does it matter why?” his father inquired.

“Not at all,” Sirius said. In his head, he was screaming. _Of course it matters! There must be a reason, you never do anything without a-_

“Oh, I think we can tell him.” Sirius’s blood ran cold at the malicious smile on his mother’s face. “You see,” she said, “We have decided that it is time to find you a wife. She will, of course, be chosen by us, but in a few week’s time we will be hosting a ball in honour of your decision to marry.”

_My decision?_ Sirius thought. _It’s no more my decision than anything else in my life._ But he didn’t say it out loud. He couldn't. If he wanted to be able to escape after supper, he needed to stay polite. “Very well,” he said. “I will instruct James to wake me early tomorrow so that I will be ready.”

His mother nodded, as approving as she ever would be of Sirius, and then spent the rest of the meal acting as though he didn’t exist. That, at least, was a small mercy. The sooner he got away from this table, the better. Sirius ate as quickly as he could without offending his parents, and requested to skip dessert. His father dismissed him with a wave of his hand and Sirius left the room, relieved. That could have gone much worse. It _had_ gone much worse, in the past.

He made his way through the house to Regulus’s room, loosening his collar as he went. By the time he was knocking on Regulus’s door, the tie was clutched in his hand and his waistcoat was hanging open. He felt like he could breathe again.

James answered his knock, and stepped aside to let Sirius in. Regulus was sitting in bed, and he looked up at the sound of Sirius’s footsteps. “Who is it?” he demanded.

“Just your brother, my lord, no need to worry,” James said gently. Regulus relaxed back into his pillows.

“Thank you, James.”

James nodded and retreated to stand unobtrusively in a corner. Sirius dropped his tie on the floor, then threw himself onto the bed beside Regulus.

“How was dinner?” Regulus asked. Sirius rolled his eyes at the laughter in his brother’s voice.

“You’re lucky you get to miss it,” was all he said. Regulus didn’t reply, just sat there, motionless, staring at the wall. Sirius sighed. “I know, I know, I shouldn’t have said that,” he muttered. “You’re not up here by choice, I’m well aware of that.”

“There you go, you’re learning,” Regulus said with a smirk. “It’s important to learn how to apologize, especially for one so prone to fuck-ups as you.”

Sirius rolled his eyes.

“Although,” Regulus continued, a thoughtful look on his face, “you didn’t really apologize, did you?” Sirius growled, and Regulus laughed. “Alright, I suppose that’s all the teasing I’m allowed for today.”

“Thank you,” Sirius said. He stared up at the ceiling, trying to decide if he should tell Regulus the news. He didn’t want to talk about it, didn’t want to make it real by telling him, but Regulus would find out eventually anyway. It wouldn’t hurt to ask him for advice. Regulus had always been good at advice.

“You know I’m just teasing, right?” Regulus asked suddenly. “I don’t mean what I say, and I do love you. You ought to know that.”

“I know, Reggie.” Sirius smiled, hoping Regulus could hear it in his voice. “I love you too.”

Regulus breathed out a small laugh.

Still looking at the ceiling, Sirius said, “They want to marry me off.”

Regulus blinked, but didn’t seem overly surprised. “Who’s the lucky lady?”

“No one, yet.”

“You mean they haven’t told you who it is yet?”

“No, I mean they don’t have anyone picked out yet.”

“Hm.”

“What does that mean, Reg?”

“It means that I’m sure they have chosen someone already and just haven’t told you.”

“Why would they do that?”

“I’m not sure, but it’s definitely a possibility. They wouldn’t go into this without a plan.”

Sirius groaned. “I hate that you’re right.”

“I very much doubt that they will tell you who she is.”

“Oh, I’m sure I can figure it out. I’m not as much of a fool as they like to think I am.”

Regulus felt around the blankets until his hand touched Sirius’s arm. He squeezed it gently. “I know,” he said.

Sirius smiled and rolled over, curled up on his side, to look at Regulus. “Are you going to be at the ball?”

Regulus let out a breath that was half laugh, half sigh. He turned his head slightly towards Sirius, but his eyes were still fixed on a spot above Sirius’s head. “I can try,” he said, “but I’m not sure our parents will allow it. A blind man isn’t very entertaining at these sorts of things. Besides,” he added, “I will need a guide all night long, and I don’t believe anyone will be willing to take on that task.”

“I can do it!” Sirius said eagerly. “It would be the perfect excuse to spend all night making fun of the Malfoys!”

Regulus sniggered. “Don’t tell our parents that and you may just get your wish.”

“Well, I will certainly try my best,” Sirius said. “And perhaps the ladies will be impressed by my love and concern for my brother.” He shot Regulus a mischievous grin before remembering that he couldn’t see it. “I’m joking, Reg,” he said hurriedly. “I’m not trying to use you or–”

“I know,” Regulus cut him off, grinning. “You wouldn’t use me to impress the _ladies_ anyway.”

Sirius relaxed back onto the bed with a laugh. “No, I certainly wouldn’t.”

“The gentlemen, though? That’s a different story.”

“If only our parents would marry me off to a Lord,” Sirius lamented, “I would be absolutely delighted.”

“Probably not, as the Lord would most likely be a cousin,” Regulus pointed out.

Sirius groaned. “Don’t remind me,” he said. All of a sudden, his eyes widened in fear and he sat up. “Reg, what if they make me marry Bella? This whole situation is bad enough, but I don’t know what I’ll do if I’m forced to marry Bella.”

Regulus grimaced. “She probably is the one they want you to marry. Both of her sisters are married already, which makes her our closest unmarried female relation.”

“I hate that those are the categories they’re looking for in my wife.”

“Would you rather it be a married close female relation?”

Sirius laughed. “No, I think I would prefer a close female relation of the unmarried variety. Then I wouldn’t have to add bigamy to my list of sins.”

“Your list of sins is very long,” Regulus said. “Are you sure bigamy would affect it much?”

“In that case, I’ll marry Andromeda,” Sirius said decisively. “At least I like her.”

Regulus waved his hand around, and Sirius backed up to avoid getting slapped in the face. “Can I help?” he asked.

“I need your head.”

Sirius took Regulus’s wrist and planted his hand on top of his head, laughing. Regulus made a pleased noise and patted Sirius’s hair a few times. “There, there,” he said. “I’m sure Andy will happily leave her husband for you.”


	3. Part One: Chapter 3

Remus’s first day was spent learning all the names of the plants, as well as how to take care of them. He got a full tour of the grounds with Caradoc as his guide, and it was as entertaining as it is informative. By the time they went to the house to collect their lunch, he was wishing that he had brought along a piece of paper and a pencil to take notes. He said so to Caradoc, who laughed and assured him that it wouldn’t take long before he knew all of it off by heart.

After lunch, Remus was sent to see Hagrid. He found him in one of the greenhouses next to Grimmauld House that Remus had noticed the day before. Hagrid was bent over a portion of grapevine, and he jumped when Remus spoke, nearly knocking over a vase.

“Lupin!” Hagrid said with a smile as Remus carefully steadied the vase on its plinth. “Dearborn finished your tour, did he?”

“Yes,” Remus said. “It was very interesting.”

“Good, good.” Hagrid trailed off as he focused back on the vine. Remus cleared his throat.

“Caradoc said you’d have something for me to do?” He asked tentatively.

“Oh, yes!” Hagrid straightened up suddenly to his full height and Remus watched nervously, ready to catch anything that might fall. Nothing did, and Remus breathed a sigh of relief as Hagrid left the greenhouse. Remus followed him as they crossed through the grass in the middle of the circle of greenhouses to the one nearest the house.

“You’re going to look after everything in here for the next few weeks,” Hagrid told him. “Good practice, and then I’ll get yeh started on the gardens.”

Remus nodded, and looked around the greenhouse. It was very pretty, with ornate iron benches surrounding a small stone fountain. The plants were all recognizable to Remus from the small amount of time he had spent in the countryside as a child. Bunches of wildflowers spilled from their beds bordering the walls, and Remus thought that they must have been planted before the current family became the masters of Grimmauld House, because what little he had heard about them was not good. They didn’t seem like the sort of people to make a greenhouse this pleasant.

The glass panels that made up the walls and the ceiling were lined with iron, and one in the ceiling was propped open, letting in a breeze that offset the heat of the sunlight streaming in, shining through the water in the fountain and casting rainbows on the stone floor.

“This is beautiful.”

Hagrid nodded in agreement. “It is, isn’t it? None of the family ever use these, but if one o’ them do show up, you clear out, yeh hear me?”

“Yes, sir.” Remus said.

“Good. We don’t need yeh getting into any trouble. Now,” Hagrid started emptying out the pockets of his enormous coat, “I know I’ve got the key somewhere.”

Remus watched in amazement as an impossible amount of _stuff_ began to pile up on the table. Gardening tools, bones that were presumably for the dogs, a few coins, some paper and a few pencil stubs, and after that Remus stopped trying to keep track. Finally, with a sound of satisfaction, Hagrid pulled a key from an inner pocket and handed it to Remus.

“The key ter the greenhouse,” he said. “Don’t lose it, and remember to give it back to me when yer ready to work in the gardens.”

Remus nodded and grinned up at Hagrid, whose beard twitched up in a smile before he shuffled back to his own greenhouse.

Remus took a moment to look at the key. It was a simple skeleton key; clearly the greenhouse didn’t require any special security. He slid it into the keyhole in the door and tested it out. The key turned easily, and the door didn’t stick when he opened and closed it. Remus made a mental note to oil the hinges every time he came. He wanted to keep it in perfect condition. Then, he tucked the key into his pocket and got to work.


	4. Part One: Chapter 4

Sirius left the table as soon as he could after lunch. Regulus apparently still wasn’t well enough to leave his room, because Sirius was alone with his parents again. At least this time, no one tried to make conversation. He walked up to the second floor at a reasonable pace, and when he was certain there was no chance of his parents hearing or seeing him, he broke into a run. He ran all the way up to his bedroom on the fourth floor, and slammed the door behind him. He leaned against it for a moment to catch his breath. His hands tugged at his collar, pulling off his necktie and undoing buttons until he could breathe again, and only then did Sirius relax. He walked over to the open window and leaned out, smiling when he felt the sun begin to warm his face. He closed his eyes and focused on that feeling, and on the wind blowing through his hair and ruffling the collar of his shirt. The tension left his shoulders, and he practically melted against the windowsill.

Sirius enjoyed a few moments of quiet before his eyes shot open at the sound of a crash from below him, followed by more curse words than Sirius had heard in his life. Looking down, he saw a boy about his age in the greenhouse below his window. By craning his neck, Sirius could make out the remains of a vase scattered across the floor along with a large amount of dirt and flowers. The boy took off his cap and scrubbed at his curls, still staring down at the vase, and Sirius realized who he was. This must be the new groundskeeper James mentioned. The one Sirius had seen from this very window the day before.

Sirius watched as the boy ran out of the greenhouse into another nearby one, where the gardener was working. The gardener helped him clean up the mess, then gently picked up the flowers that survived the fall and carried them away. The boy swept the rest of the dirt out the door of the greenhouse, then leaned on the broom, wiping at his forehead. He turned, and Sirius watched eagerly, wanting to see the boy’s face.

From this distance, he couldn’t make out much, but the boy had a thin, angular face, and Sirius could just barely see his dark eyes. His curls fell into his face, and he was, Sirius decided, very pretty. Sirius rested his chin on his hand and smiled, already getting lost in daydreams as he stared.

A movement in the greenhouse jolted Sirius back to reality and he focused his attention back on the boy, who seemed to be...waving? And looking up at Sirius?

It took a moment for it to register that the boy was waving at Sirius, but when it did, Sirius broke out into a grin. He raised a hand and waved back. The boy’s smile matched Sirius’s, and for a moment they just looked at each other. Then Sirius had an idea.

He held up his index finger– _one moment_ –and then ducked back into his room. He ran to his desk and found a blank piece of paper, then rummaged through his drawers for his pen.

**_What is your name?_** Sirius paused for a moment, then continued. **_Mine is Sirius._** He wanted to write more, but decided against it. What if the boy already left? He had no way of knowing what Sirius was doing.

Sirius ran back to the window and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the boy was still standing there, looking up at him curiously. Sirius gave him a smile and a wave, then blew on the paper, running his finger along the words to make sure the ink was dry. It was, and he started to fold the square in the way the butler had taught him when he was young and hiding from his tutors. It didn’t take him long, and when he was done, the paper was folded in the shape of a bird and the boy was still watching from the greenhouse. Sirius carefully took aim, then tossed the bird. It floated gently down, the wind blowing it slightly, but not enough to alter its course. It drifted through the open panel in the greenhouse roof and right into the boy’s waiting hands.

He smiled sweetly up at Sirius, and held the bird gently, as if it were made of glass. He brought it close to his face to look at it, and Sirius realized that he wasn't going to see the note unless Sirius told him about it. But how to tell him? Sirius thought for a moment. He snatched up a piece of scrap paper and folded it in half. He leaned as far out the window as he dared, waving his arms to catch the boy’s attention. Then, when he saw the boy watching him, he folded and unfolded the piece of paper several times, hoping that the message would get through.

The boy just looked mildly confused. Sirius pointed at him, then folded and unfolded the paper again. The boy held up the bird, his head cocked to the side. Sirius nodded eagerly, then, just for good measure, folded and unfolded the paper again. The boy grinned. He started to carefully unfold the bird, and Sirius watched, his attention fixed on the boy’s hands as he smoothed out the paper, and on his face as he read the note.

It was only then that Sirius realized that there wasn’t any way for the boy to send him a note back. The boy seemed to realize this as well, and they sent each other apologetic looks at the same time, which made them both laugh. The boy folded the note neatly and tucked it into the pocket of his trousers. He appeared to think for a moment, then a bright grin took over his face, and he waved to Sirius one last time and ran off. Sirius watched him go, wishing there was some way for the boy to talk to him.


	5. Part One: Chapter 5

Remus ran as fast as he could back to his cottage, and scrambled to find some paper and something to write with. Eventually, he managed to find a pen and some ink, but he had to resort to tearing a corner off of Sirius’s note to write on. He hadn’t yet had time to look around the cottage, so although he was sure there must be paper somewhere, he couldn’t find it as quickly as he wanted to.

His note written, Remus took off again in the direction of the house. He headed straight for the servant’s entrance and burst in, hoping desperately that Mrs McGonagall wasn’t nearby to see. He got lucky this time, and instead of Mrs McGonagall he found James.

Remus skidded to a halt in front of an amused-looking James, who was holding a cigarette out an open window in one hand, his footman’s livery just ruffled enough that Mrs McGonagall would make him fix it.

“What can I do for you, Lupin?” James asked cheerily. He tapped the ash off the end of his cigarette. Remus held out his scrap of paper.

“Can you give this to Sirius?”

James raised an eyebrow. “Sirius? Sirius Black?”

“I suppose that’s who he must be, yes. Could you give it to him?”

“What is it?”

“It’s–” Remus paused, unsure of how to explain what just happened. “It’s hard to explain. Just give it to him? Please?”

“I suppose I can,” James conceded. “But you’ll have to tell me why. I could do with an interesting story.”

“Yes, I’ll tell you, but can you bring it to him first?”

James nodded, and plucked the letter out of Remus’s hand. He stubbed out his cigarette on the windowsill and dropped it to the ground outside.

“James?” Remus called out after him.

“Yes?”

“Have you got any more cigarettes?”

James laughed. “There’s a loose brick in the wall right under the window. Cigarettes and matches are in there. But if you’re going to start smoking, you have to buy your own. I’m not paying for both of us.”

Remus nodded his thanks and took James’s seat, already waiting for his return.


	6. Part One: Chapter 6

Sirius was lounging on his chesterfield, thinking about the boy, when he was interrupted by a knock on the door. He sighed.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and James stepped in.

“Yes, James?” Sirius asked.

James held out a small scrap of paper, his face carefully blank. “For you, my lord.”

Sirius frowned at him, confused, but took the paper. When he unfolded it, however, he realized what it was.

_My name is Remus_ , was all the note said, but Sirius couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face.

“James,” he asked, “is this from the new groundskeeper?”

“It is, my lord,” James said with a smile.

“Thank you,” Sirius said. James bowed slightly, and left the room.


	7. Part One: Chapter 7

“Lupin, what the fuck was that?”

“What did he say?”

“He looked,” James said as he sat down next to Remus, “like he had just heard the best news in the world. Asked if it was from you, I said yes and left. Pass me one,” he added. Remus shook a cigarette out of the pack and handed it to James, along with a match. “Ta.” James put the cigarette between his lips and struck the match off the box in Remus’s hand. “So,” he said, “what was that about?”

Remus shrugged. “Not much, I suppose. All it said in the note was my name.”

“And why was he so excited?” James prodded.

“He saw me working in the greenhouses. The ones next to the house.” James nodded, and Remus continued, “He was watching me, and I waved and, well…” Remus shrugged.

“And what?” James demanded. “You can’t just leave it like that!”

Remus laughed. “Alright, fine.” He took another drag of his cigarette, and told James the whole story. As he did, he couldn’t help thinking about how Sirius looked up in the window, his dark hair slicked back from his face, and Remus was sure it was just long enough to curl around his ears. Remus wanted to find out.

He shook his head, pushing the thought to the back of his mind. That isn’t something he should be thinking about. Instead, he brought his focus back to the present, and laughed at James’s disbelieving face.

“You’re telling the truth?” James asked. “You aren’t making this up?”

“I’m not, I promise! Why would I?”

James shrugged. “I suppose you wouldn’t. And if any member of the family would do that it would be him.” He grinned at Remus. “So what are you going to do now?”

“I’m not entirely sure. I’ll be working in the greenhouse for several weeks, Hagrid said, so I suppose I’ll see if he sends me more notes.”

“If he does, I demand to know everything.”

Remus laughed. “Why?”

“I am absolutely _starved_ for entertainment,” James said. He moved a hand in front of his face in an impression of a lady fainting. Remus gave him a shove, but smiled.

“Fine,” he said. “I will tell you every detail, but you have to keep bringing my notes up.”

James held out his hand for Remus to shake. “It’s a deal.”


	8. Part One: Chapter 8

Sirius woke early the next morning, and the first thing he did was peer out his window, wondering how early Remus would arrive at the greenhouse. He wasn’t there yet, and Sirius was disappointed until he remembered that Remus undoubtedly had other duties to attend to.

Cheered by this thought, Sirius sat down at his desk to write a note for when he next saw Remus, and he was still scribbling away a few minutes later when James knocked on the door.

“Good morning, James!” Sirius said happily. “How are you doing today?”

“Very well, my lord, and you?”

“Excellent James, simply excellent.”

James swallowed down a laugh and walked over to Sirius’s closet, opening it up and making a show of taking out clothes so that he had a moment to calm down. “And why is that, my lord?” he asked as he turned around. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you so cheerful at so early an hour.”

“Good things are happening, James,” is all Sirius would say, but James had a feeling he knew what the good things were. He made a mental note to tell Remus about it later.

Once Sirius was dressed, James informed him that he would be choosing fabric for his new suit today, and Sirius rolled his eyes mightily.

“Bring it to my brother’s room,” he told James. “That is an activity better done with company. Tell him I will be there as soon as I have eaten.”

“Yes, my lord.” James nodded and followed Sirius out of the room and down the stairs, then took the servant’s staircase down to Mrs McGonagall’s office, where the fabric was piled in the corner.

“Taking this up to Regulus’s room, Ma’am.” Mrs McGonagall nodded and helped him pick up the pile and balance it in his arms.

James walked slowly now, careful not to drop any of the bolts of fabric, and when he got to the third floor, he was relieved to see that the door to Regulus’s room was open. He nudged it further open with his foot, and, peering around the fabric, saw that the doctor was there, along with his daughter, who frequently came along as his assistant.

“Good morning, Doctor Evans,” James greeted him, “and Miss Evans,” he added with a bob of his head–the best bow he could manage just then. They both greeted him in kind, and Regulus’s head turned towards James’s voice, his face breaking out into a grin.

“James,” Regulus said, “it’s good to see you!”

“You too, my lord.” He looked around the room as best he could. “Is there anywhere I can put these?”

Doctor Evans set about moving some of his equipment to free up a chair. As James put down the fabric, he heard Regulus ask Lily, “What does he have?”

“Several bolts of fabric,” Lily said, and James wished that he could be over there with them rather than struggling with the fabric as it nearly fell off the chair.

“Well, as far as I know, no new clothes are being made for me, so I must ask, James, why is all of that in here?”

“Lord Sirius is choosing the fabric for his new suit and wants you to help,” James said. Regulus snorted.

“I’m not sure what help I will be, given that I can’t see it.”

“Perhaps he wants moral support more than actual help?” Lily asked.

“That is a possibility,” James said to her, and she blushed slightly at his smile.

Doctor Evans finished his checkup, and packed up his things. “Lily,” he said, “I will go and speak with Lord and Lady Black. You stay here, and make sure that Lord Regulus has everything he needs.”

Lily nodded, and Doctor Evans left the room just as Sirius entered. He looked at the three of them, grinning. “I see I have an audience for this particular chore.”

“I can leave if you like,” Lily said, already standing up.

“No, no, please stay.” Sirius gestured for her to sit down and she did, resuming her spot on the edge of the bed.

Sirius studied the fabric, then picked up some and moved it onto the bed. “I’m putting this by your feet,” he told Regulus, “so don’t kick.”

Regulus saluted, and sat up a little bit straighter, crossing his legs to make more room for the fabric. James helped Sirius move the rest of the fabric, and then all four of them were sitting on the bed. Regulus got out from under the blankets, and moved to sit directly in front of the fabric, holding on to Lily’s hand as a guide. He reached out and touched a bolt. “Linen,” he said.

“Yes,” Sirius said, looking at it. “It’s a dark green.” he sighed. “It’s all green. I hate green.”

They went through each bolt of fabric, one by one, Regulus touching them and guessing the material and then one of the others telling him if he was right and describing it. Then, at the bottom of the pile, one that stood out from the rest: deep red silk that caught the light in an almost bewitching way. Regulus ran his fingers along it gently.

“This feels beautiful,” he said.

“It is,” Sirius couldn’t stop staring at it. “It’s red, almost like blood.”

“Darker,” Lily said, “It’s amazing.”

“I want this one,” Sirius decided.

“Will our parents allow it?” Regulus asked.

Sirius sighed. “I’m sure they won’t. Not for this ball, anyway. If I’m to choose a wife, I need to look like part of the family.” He spoke in a surprisingly accurate imitation of Lady Black, and James laughed.

Sirius stared at the fabric a moment longer. “I’ll have one made from this anyway. My parents don’t need to know.” He put the red silk to the side, and turned back to the rest of the fabric, considering his options.


	9. Part One: Chapter 9

Remus patted down the dirt around the forget-me-nots he had just planted and stood back, satisfied with his work. The little blue flowers moved slightly in the breeze, and they seemed to smile at him. He turned away just in time to see a little paper bird come drifting down to the greenhouse floor, and his heart skipped a beat as he bent to pick it up. He gently unfolded the paper, careful not to tear it, and found a note written in the same beautiful cursive as the last.

**_Remus,_** it read, **_It’s nice to meet you. James tells me you were recently hired on as groundskeeper. Should I congratulate you? I am not sure of the proper etiquette here._**

**_That was a clever idea to ask James to bring up your note. I do not always think through my ideas fully, so I would like to thank you for helping me out on that front._ **

**_Speaking of James, he has just come in, so I will end this letter here and send it to you when I see you next. I do hope you want to continue this correspondence, however unusual it may be._ **

**_Hopefully your friend,_ **

**_Sirius Black_ **

Remus smiled as he read the note, and when he looked up, he saw Sirius leaning out of his window, smiling down at Remus. The sun shone brightly on his face in stark contrast to the shadows and black brick of Grimmauld house. Remus smiled back, and waved. He tucked the note into his pocket. Later, when he went back to his cottage after work, he would put it with the other one, in a small wooden box alongside photographs of his family. For the moment, he got back to work, his hand occasionally slipping into his pocket to make sure the letter was still there. He could feel Sirius’s eyes on him as he worked, and they exchanged a few waves until Sirius suddenly grimaced and ducked back inside. Remus glanced up several times after that, but Sirius must have left his room, because Remus didn’t see him again that day.


	10. Part One: Chapter 10

_Sirius,_

_Or should I call you Lord Sirius? I am also unsure of etiquette, but that is more because of our means of communication than anything else._

_Yes, I did just get hired as a groundskeeper. Yes, you may congratulate me. It isn’t a bad job, and your head gardener is a truly lovely man, although he seems to enjoy the company of his dogs more than that of people. I cannot truly blame him, though. I am fond of dogs, and Hagrid’s are very friendly once you get past their size. And their teeth._

_James was willing and eager (more or less) to give you my note, but he did demand payment in the form of gossip. He has demanded that I keep him updated on our correspondence. I hope you do not mind. It was the only way he would agree to help. And he is, apparently, “starved for entertainment”, so I think it’s the least we can do, really._

_Yes, definitely your friend,_

_Remus_

_**Remus,** _

_**Please, please, I am begging you, do not call me Lord Sirius. It’s not a title that I am proud of, and really, since we’re friends, I would much rather call each other by our first names.** _

_**Are you sure Hagrid’s dogs are friendly? I was terrified of them as a child, and I can’t honestly say that that particular fear has lessened over the years. But I trust your judgement, Remus, and I will do my best to pet them next time I see them.** _

_**Feel free to tell James anything you like. I trust him, and in any case, I don’t believe he would open the letters. So really, you don’t necessarily need to tell him the truth. Invent things, Remus! Tell him the most ridiculous things you can imagine! I want to know how long he will believe it for.** _

_**Where do you come from, if you don’t mind me asking? I have no idea why you would mind, but it seemed good etiquette to add that. Why did you choose to work as a groundskeeper? With those curls, you could easily have been a footman.** _

_**Your new best friend,** _

_**Sirius** _

_Sirius,_

_Very presumptuous of you to claim the title of my best friend. What if it had already gone to James? What would you have done then?_

_I’m joking, of course. I don’t have very many friends here, although I am becoming more familiar with the other groundskeepers. But I suppose you can take the place of best friend if you wish, since it is still empty._

_I’m from London. Not very exotic, I know, but I’ve never been away from my parents before, so this is quite exotic enough for me. The only position open was the groundskeeper’s one, and I needed a job, so I took it. I have very little experience with plants, but Hagrid tells me I’m doing well, and although he is perhaps a little bit too kind in that judgement, I know that he isn’t a liar; therefore I must be learning something, and I am pleased with that._

_Does your family have a special affinity for curly haired footmen? I have my doubts, mainly because James’s hair is slicked back to such an extent that I’m absolutely certain I could see my reflection in it if I tried._

_Tell me, are you afraid of all dogs? If so, I’m sorry to tell you that we cannot be friends. I love dogs too much to associate with someone who can’t be near them. I will miss your company, but will not regret my decision._

_If you are my best friend then I must be yours,_

_Remus_

_**Remus,** _

_**Of course you’re my best friend. My only other friend is my brother, Regulus. I suppose James is a friend as well, but he has always been careful about keeping his distance. His father is the butler, and I suppose he taught James not to be too friendly with members of the household. A reasonable instruction, considering what my parents are like.** _

_**Speaking of my parents, they like their footmen to be handsome. That’s why James and the Prewitt brothers are footmen. I was trying to pay you a compliment, Remus, but it just went right over your head. It isn’t a requirement to slick back your hair the way James does. In fact, I’m sure you could get away with leaving yours exactly the way it is. I certainly wouldn’t complain.** _

_**I am decidedly not afraid of all dogs. Hagrid’s are simply massive, and could easily have bitten me in two as a child, therefore I think my fear is justified. Not to worry though, Remus, I love dogs very much and we can remain friends.** _

_**Are your parents still in London? And why did you come to work here in the first place? I know that’s a silly question–you needed the money, right? I just read that over and I sound truly horrible, don’t I? I’m sorry, I don’t mean to offend you. You don’t need to answer any of those questions if you don’t want to. You don’t even need to answer this letter. I know I can be ignorant, and all I can say is that I’ve grown up to be ignorant of these things, and I am trying my best to learn.** _

_**I’m going to stop now before I say anything else I shouldn’t.** _

_**Hoping to hear back from you,** _

_**Sirius** _

_Sirius,_

_It is a silly question. What reason could I have to become a servant other than needing money? My father is a sailor and my mother was a washerwoman. I have four younger siblings, all of whom need to be fed and clothed. I have been working in London since I was twelve, and my father decided that eighteen was high time to send me away to work. Of course we need the money._

_Have you had this issue before? With James, perhaps? I will thank him, because at least now I don’t have to go to the trouble of explaining it all to you._

_I’m not angry, Sirius. A tad offended, but nothing to spoil our friendship over. I’m glad you are learning, at least._

_As much as I would love to write more, I have work to do. I will say this: I am very glad to hear that you like dogs. I would hate to lose a friend over such an issue, but some things are far too important to overlook. I’m glad that I can pet any dogs I see when we’re together, and you won’t be running away._

_Yours,_

_Remus_

_**Remus,** _

_**You are absolutely right; I did have that issue with James, and he did give me a fairly stern talking to. Once again, I am deeply sorry to have offended you, and I will do my absolute best not to do so in the future. I do not want to ruin our friendship.** _

_**You must be a wonderful big brother. I don’t know you very well, but I have seen the way you take care of those plants. You are kind, and patient, and I suspect that all of your siblings adore you.** _

_**I have been trying to guess your age from the first time I saw you. It proved to be much more difficult than I imagined, mainly because it isn’t easy to see your face clearly from the fourth floor. In case you were wondering, I will be turning eighteen in November, three months from now. My parents are planning for me to marry as early as possible, so if I have a wife by February, do not be surprised. I certainly won’t be.** _

_**Did you know, at first I thought you didn’t notice the compliment, but now I think you are purposefully ignoring it. Do you not think you are a handsome young man? Despite not having seen you properly, I am sure that you are.** _

_**The tailor is here so that I can try on a new suit. Wish me luck, Remus, and let us hope that I do not do anything stupid, like stab the tailor with one of his pins.** _

_**Sirius** _

_Sirius,_

_Your judgment of both my looks and my character is unreliable at best and completely false at worst, but I thank you for your faith in my skills as an older brother and in my good looks. I must admit that as a brother I am quite adequate, but my looks are most definitely lacking, and you will agree should you ever see me from a nearer distance than a fourth floor window._

_Isn’t unwilling marriage something more often bestowed upon young ladies than young men? I could be wrong, of course, but from what I have heard that seems to be the way of things. Do you know who you’ll be marrying? Or is that still to be decided?_

_Hagrid told me today that I have a sufficient grasp of the basics of plant care, and starting in two day’s time, I will not be working in the greenhouses anymore. I have found that I have quite an affection for the place though, and will most likely visit in the evenings whenever possible._

_Did you stab the tailor? In my opinion, you can’t be blamed if you did. I’ve never had one, but it must be dreadfully uncomfortable to have someone measuring you and pricking you with pins, even if it is accidental._

_Is your new suit for that ball that I’ve been hearing so much about? It’s not for another three weeks, but the entire staff is in uproar trying to prepare for it already. It isn’t as bad for the outdoors staff as it is for the indoors staff, though, and I am grateful for that._

_Remus_

_**Remus,** _

_**I suppose we will have to content ourselves with our differing opinions about you until we meet, at which point I will be proven right.** _

_**The suit is for the ball, and the ball is for me to choose a wife, and I’m being forced to marry because I am too much trouble to my parents and they hope to get it over with as soon as possible, before too many people know anything more of me than my last name. I have not been informed yet of who my wife will be, but you may be sure that my parents have already chosen the unlucky lady. That is all I’m willing to say on the subject right now, Remus, because there are much better things to talk about.** _

_**Congratulations on getting promoted! Did I use the right word there? Anyhow, I’m happy for you that you’re learning how to garden. I will be very sad to lose the lovely view out my bedroom window when you’re working, but life is full of disappointments and if this must be one of them, then so be it. I will spend as many evenings in my room as possible now, just to catch a glimpse of you.** _

_**Yours,** _

_**Sirius** _

_**P.S.–I did not stab the tailor, because I have better self control than that, but rest assured, Remus, that I thought about it all through the fitting** _


	11. Part Two: Chapter 1

The late evening sun cast its last rays across the grounds of Grimmauld House, bathing everything it touched in a beautiful golden light, and casting sharp shadows across everything it didn't. Sirius could feel its warmth on his face as he leaned out the window, looking down on what he had come to think of as Remus’s greenhouse.

Remus was in there now, watering a large ivy whose vines had steadily grown to climb the walls of the greenhouse. The sun shone through the glass, glinting off of Remus’s curls and making them glow coppery gold. Sirius was utterly enchanted.

Remus hadn’t seen him yet, but he was standing just underneath the open panel–Sirius wasn't sure if the panel could close at all by this point–and Sirius took his opportunity and tossed the little paper bird out the window. It drifted, the wind lifting it and, for a moment, making almost seem like it was flying, and then it fell neatly through the roof and onto the floor at Remus’s feet.

Looking up, Remus sent Sirius a glowing smile as he picked up the bird, unfolding it as carefully as he always did. Sirius smiled back, and closed his eyes for a moment, hoping that his nervousness didn’t show.

**_Remus,_ **

**_Come to the ball with me?_ **

**_Sirius_ **

He opened his eyes to watch as Remus read it, trying to decipher his expression. Remus looked back up at Sirius, but his face was still unreadable.

The answering letter, delivered by James later that evening, was short and to the point.

_It doesn’t seem like an event servants should attend._

Sirius dropped a bird into the greenhouse first thing in the morning, and stayed out of Remus’s line of sight when he read it that evening.

**_Then let’s have our own ball._ **

Remus glanced up at Sirius’s window and Sirius was certain he looked disappointed when all he saw were the curtains fluttering in the breeze.

_This ball is already for you. You can’t miss it. And anyway, I can’t dance._

**_I’ll teach you,_** Sirius told him the next day. He made himself visible that time, grinning at Remus in as flirtatious a manner as he dared. He was almost certain he could see Remus blush. But still he shook his head, and in his next letter he insisted that he was hopeless at dancing and would never learn how to do it quite right. He then changed the subject, launching into a story about the antics of his fellow groundskeepers. Sirius took the hint and didn’t bring it up again, but he only became more determined to somehow see Remus at the ball.


	12. Part Two: Chapter 2

“Well, my lord, I believe you’ve almost fully recovered.” Doctor Evans stood up from his seat on the edge of the bed.

Regulus grinned in the doctor’s general direction. It had been months since he left his room for more than a few minutes at a time, and he wanted to start walking around the house as soon as possible, and begin to learn to navigate the corridors without his sight.

Regulus listened to Doctor Evans’s footsteps. On a wooden floor, his shoes would have made a loud, very professional noise, Regulus thought. The plush carpets in the bedroom, however, padded his steps, making them sound gentle, almost shuffling. Regulus liked this sound better, he decided. It suited the doctor’s kindness. The footsteps stopped, and when Doctor Evans spoke, Regulus turned his head towards his voice instinctively, still half expecting to see the doctor standing there, with his dark ginger hair, greying just a bit, and his bright smile.

“I’ll speak to your parents,” he said. “My recommendation will be to have a cane made for you, and in the meantime you must be free to wander the house and grounds as much as you choose, both to regain your strength and to acquaint yourself with your new situation.”

Regulus nodded. “I like both of those recommendations very much, doctor.”

“Excellent. I will see to it that your parents allow it.”

The door swung open–one of the first things Regulus learned to recognize was the sound of the squeaky hinges–and before the footsteps started up again, Regulus hurriedly said, “Thank you, doctor. You have been truly wonderful.”

Doctor Evans laughed. “Don’t speak as if we’ll never see each other again! But thank you, my lord. You have been wonderful as well.” Then he stepped off of the carpet and closed the door. Regulus could hear his shoes clacking all the way down the hallway.


	13. Part Two: Chapter 3

Peter Pettigrew, a low ranking footman, was assigned to guide Regulus around the house until his cane was made. Pettigrew was a pleasant fellow, around Regulus’s age, and they became fast friends during their daily walks.

At first, Regulus limited himself to the third floor, where his bedroom was nearby and he didn't have to make any attempts at the stairs.

Months of bed rest had taken their toll, and for the first week or so Regulus tired easily, but soon he was able to stroll through the whole house as much as he chose, with Peter at his side.

It was on one of these walks that Regulus discovered something absolutely fascinating.

He was downstairs, having convinced Peter to sneak him down to the kitchens, simply because Regulus had never been there before and he was curious. He was walking slowly down the hallway, one hand trailing along the wall for some sense of where he was, and he could hear Peter’s footsteps and feel his presence, just close enough to provide a guiding hand should Regulus need it.

Regulus found that he liked the feel of rough stone under his fingertips, and pressed his whole hand against the wall as he walked. Then he paused, a frown on his face.

“Lord Regulus?” Peter said. “Is everything okay?”

Regulus ran his hand along the section of wall again. He had felt something strange, he was sure of it.

“Is there something here?” he asked Peter.

“No,” Peter sounded confused. “Just the wall.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am. Why?”

Regulus didn’t answer, but ran his hand over the spot on the wall again. One stone was definitely sticking out past the rest. Not very much, not enough for someone to notice unless they were paying attention. But it was definitely there.

The thing is, an uneven brick shouldn’t have been anything out of the ordinary. This part of the house was for the servants. There really was a good chance that the stone was just put in wrong and no one had ever bothered to fix it.

The thing is, every other stone was set perfectly in place.

Peter was still standing behind Regulus. Regulus could hear him shifting around, probably slightly impatiently. Regulus ignored him.

He pressed on the stone experimentally, and when nothing happened, he pressed a little bit harder. Something gave way in the stone, and Regulus stumbled forward slightly as the wall seemed to disappear and he was hit with a wave of cool, stale air. Behind him, Peter gasped.

“Peter?’ Regulus asked tentatively. “Did–did the wall just open up?”

“That’s what it looks like, my Lord.”

“That’s what I thought.”


	14. Part Two: Chapter 4

There was a package on Sirius’s bed. He looked at it suspiciously, and glanced over at James, who was standing in the corner of the room.

“Your suit for the ball, my Lord.”

Sirius nodded, and opened the package. He truly did hate the colour green. Tossing the suit aside, he threw himself on his bed and heaved a sigh. He tried to look out the window from his position, but it didn’t quite work. He sighed again. He could get up later to try and see Remus.

“My Lord?”

“Yes, James?”

“There’s another package for you as well.”

Sirius sat up. “What is it?”

With a grin, James moved his hands from behind his back, and Sirius saw that he was holding another package, wrapped in plain brown paper.

“I didn’t think that your parents would want to see this one,” James said as he held it out to Sirius. Sirius snatched it out of his hands and unwrapped it eagerly.

“James,” he gasped, “look at this!”

It was a tuxedo jacket, identical to the green one that he already hated, except for the colour. This one was red, made of the silk that had caught Sirius’s eye when he was choosing fabrics.

James reached out to touch it, almost in awe. “It’s beautiful,” he said. Then he grinned at Sirius. “Go on then, try it on!”

Sirius was almost giddy with excitement as he pulled on the jacket. He practically ran over to the mirror, where he turned to see himself at every possible angle. James applauded as Sirius struck a pose.

“I love it!” Sirius said. “It’s worth every penny it cost to find a tailor who wouldn’t rat me out to my parents. Look at me, James! Look at me!”

James snorted. “Preening like a peacock, my Lord.”

Sirius rolled his eyes. “I appreciate your constant and loving support.”

James bowed, sending Sirius a sarcastic little grin. “At your service, my Lord.”

Sirius was still wearing his new jacket an hour and a half later, when he finally remembered to check to see if Remus was in the greenhouse. He wasn’t, but Sirius saw him walking towards it. He leaned out the window and waved his arms wildly, hoping to catch Remus’s attention.

It worked. Remus looked up at Sirius, and even from this distance, Sirius could see the grin that lit up his face. Sirius’s heart swelled at the sight. Remus walked past the greenhouse until he was standing directly underneath Sirius’s window, his face upturned. His hair caught the light perfectly. Sirius was sure he could look at it forever.

Before he could get lost in his imaginings of Remus’s hair, Sirius leaned even further out of the window, trying to put his whole jacket on display. It was a quiet evening, and when Remus’s voice floated up to him, Sirius was sure that he had never been happier.

“A new jacket, Sirius?” Remus asked.

“Yes!” Sirius shouted back. “I’m glad you noticed!”

“It would be hard not to notice, the way you’re peacocking around in it!” Remus said it with a smile, and Sirius laughed.

“Funny, James said the same thing!”

Remus’s laugh was perhaps the most beautiful thing Sirius had ever heard. “I’ll make sure to compare notes with him, so that we don’t repeat ourselves in the future.”

“Only with the bad things!” Sirius replied. “I can stand to hear good things twice!” And there it was again, Remus’s laugh, carried up to Sirius on the breeze. Sirius couldn’t hold back his own delighted laugh, and for a minute the two stayed like that, Sirius leaning out of his window, Remus craning his neck to see him. Then, with a wave, Remus turned and walked into the greenhouse. Later that evening, James delivered a note to Sirius with a knowing smile.

_Sirius,_

_The jacket is gorgeous. I can’t wait to talk to you again._

_Remus_

Underneath his signature, Remus had drawn a picture of Sirius as he must have seen him today. It was obvious that Remus had had no professional training, but the drawing was still beautiful. Sirius knew what he looked like, knew he was handsome, but the way Remus had drawn him...he looked almost beautiful.


	15. Part Two: Chapter 5

Remus spent the rest of the evening cursing himself for the drawing. They were barely even friends, and even then, who would do a drawing like that of their friend?

But it was too late, he reminded himself, and he tried to stop his hands from shaking when he imagined Sirius reading the note. What would he think? Nothing good, certainly. Remus shouldn’t have these feelings, he knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t stop himself even if he tried. And he was beginning to realize that he didn’t want to try.

Remus avoided the greenhouse all day, but in the evening he gathered his courage and walked across the grounds, hands tucked deep into his pockets. There was something about the evening light, however, that relaxed him, and by the time he got to the greenhouse he had managed to calm down enough to feel some excitement as well. He wanted to see Sirius again, to talk to him like they had the previous evening. It had been nice to have a proper conversation rather than just their notes.

He dared a glance upwards, and was rewarded with the sight of Sirius sitting on the ledge, his feet propped up against the inside frame of the window. He was looking at something on his lap, and Remus assumed that he must be reading.

After a moment of deliberation, Remus called out as loudly as he dared, “Sirius!”

Sirius turned his head and waved excitedly at Remus, and Remus’s nerves began to calm. Clearly, Sirius wasn’t put off by Remus’s drawing or his note, and Remus was glad. He didn’t want to lose this strange friendship that he and Sirius had built

Once in the greenhouse, Remus looked up at Sirius again, but he had turned his attention back to his book, so Remus focused on his own tasks, feeling a strange sense of companionship with Sirius despite the four floors of Grimmauld House that separated them.

The sun was almost fully below the horizon when Remus finished up, and Sirius still hadn’t sent a note. Remus had waved to Sirius several more times in the hour or so that he had been there, but Sirius had never done more than wave back and then turn back to his book, so Remus resigned himself to a day without Sirius, and began to pack up his things. He pulled his bag over his shoulder and took one last look up at the window.

Sirius had apparently finished his book, and was back in his usual position, standing in front of the window. He waved frantically at Remus, and Remus paused, wondering what Sirius was up to. Once he was satisfied that Remus would wait, Sirius picked up a piece of paper from the windowsill and started to fold it. Even with his limited ability to see what Sirius was doing, Remus knew that he was making one of those little birds. He wondered if Sirius would ever teach him how to make one.

The note, when Remus unfolded it, was not actually a note. It was a drawing. This must have been what Sirius was doing, Remus realized. Not reading, but _drawing_.

It was very well done, and Remus knew right away that it was of him. He was in the greenhouse, surrounded by flowers, and his face was tilted up. He was grinning happily and holding a potted plant in his hands. Underneath, Sirius had written, _I would like to meet you one day._

Remus felt his cheeks heat up, and knew that his face must be bright red. His smile up at Sirius was somewhat shy, but clearly Sirius understood what Remus was trying to say, because he looked absolutely delighted. Remus left the greenhouse and locked the door behind him, nearly dropping the key in his distraction.


	16. Part Two: Chapter 6

_Sirius,_

_But haven’t we already met? I was under the impression that two people need to meet in order to become friends._

_Remus_

_**Oh, Remus,** _

_**You know what I mean. I want to meet you in person. Can we?** _

_**Sirius** _

_Sirius,_

_I’m not averse to the idea._

_Remus_

_**Remus,** _

_**Thank you for your enthusiasm. (In all seriousness, is there a reason you do not seem eager? If I have offended you, or if I have moved too fast in some way, please tell me)** _

_**Sirius** _

_Sirius,_

_No, you haven’t offended me at all. In all siriusness, I would love to meet in person. But is it truly possible?_

_Remus_

_**Remus,** _

_**Do you honestly think you are the first person to make that joke? If you want to impress me, you must be more creative. Show some imagination!** _

_**Of course it is possible, Remus! I am a person, you are a person, if we choose a time and place then we can meet in person.** _

_**Sirius** _

_Sirius,_

_That was not quite my meaning. My meaning was more along the lines of: what would your parents think of you being friends with a servant? What would other servants think?_

_I cannot think of any other creative jokes about your name, unless you want me to start calling you “Dog Star”, so perhaps I will leave it alone for now._

_Remus_

_**Remus,** _

_**We will just meet somewhere we won’t be found. I truly don’t believe it will be a problem.** _

_**As for you calling me “Dog Star”...I am not averse to it.** _

_**Sirius** _

_Sirius,_

_Fuck you. I will never again use that particular turn of phrase now that I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of “I am not averse to it”._

_There is always the danger of being found out. Always. And if your parents find out, I will lose my job, and I do not know how soon I would be able to find a new one._

_As much as I would like to see you and speak to you, the risks may be too high for me. I’m sorry, Sirius, I truly am._

_Remus_

_**Remus,** _

_**I had not thought of that. It makes perfect sense that you do not want to lose your job, and I promise that I am not angry with you. I will look forward to seeing you in the greenhouse as the brightest part of my day.** _

_**Remus Lupin, did you just swear at me? Is that what you just did? ~~I liked it very much.~~ I cannot believe you would have such a foul mouth. It does not fit with your ~~perfectly angelic~~ looks at all.** _

_**In other news, the ball to find me a wife is tomorrow night. Wish me all the luck you possibly can, because I truly do not know how I will survive the event.** _

_**Sirius** _

_Sirius,_

_Thank you for being so understanding. I hope you know that it isn’t because I don’t want to meet you, it really truly is because I cannot risk losing my job. Without that, I would not hesitate._

_Sirius Black, my father is a sailor. Of course I have a foul mouth. What else did you expect? ~~I hope we can meet in person one day so you can see how foul it truly is.~~_

_I send you all of my best wishes for the ball. I do not envy your situation in the least. Is that red jacket the one you had made for it? If so, that may be the only good thing to come out of it._

_Wishing you very very good luck in the form of no eligible young ladies coming to the ball,_

_Remus_


	17. Part Two: Chapter 7

Sirius made a face at his mirror. He tugged at his tuxedo jacket and thought, for the millionth time, how much he despised the colour green. Perhaps it was only because green was his family’s colour, but, Sirius decided, that was reason enough.

“My Lord, it is almost time for you to go to the ballroom,” James said. Sirius groaned.

“What if I don’t?” he asked. “What happens then?”

“Certainly nothing good,” was James’s swift reply, and Sirius had to agree.

“Fine,” he sighed. “I will go, but I will not enjoy it.”

James laughed. “My Lord, that has been clear to every member of the household since the day it was announced.”

“Oh, excellent.” Sirius rolled his eyes.

James moved in front of him to straighten his collar. “If it makes you feel any better,” he said, “because you brother is coming to the ball, Peter will be unable to perform his usual duties.”

“How is this supposed to make me feel better?”

“Patience my Lord, patience.” James grinned at Sirius. “It means,” he continued, “that a certain groundskeeper has been recruited to help serve this evening.”

“Remus?”

“No, Benji. Of course Remus, why else would I tell you?”

“I don’t know, James, maybe you delight in torturing me.”

“Yes, my Lord, that was exactly the reason.” He finished fastening Sirius’s cufflinks and stepped back. “There you go. All set. Now _go_!” he said, and gave Sirius a shove towards the door. “Go get him!”


	18. Part Two: Chapter 8

Remus shifted uncomfortably in his borrowed shoes. His whole uniform was borrowed, and although it was more or less the right size, there were a few things that were very, _very_ uncomfortable. Like the shoes that pinched his toes just enough to give him blisters. And the waistcoat that was a little bit too loose. And the jacket, with too-short sleeves but too-loose shoulders. The hem of the trousers sat just above his ankle, and Remus hoped that it wasn’t too noticeable. When Mrs McGonagal had seen him in the uniform, she had pronounced him, “Good enough for one night, but hopefully we won’t need you again.” Remus very much agreed with that assessment.

He stood in line with the other footmen in a small hallway just outside the ballroom. He’d never been in this part of the house before, and he could already tell that he was going to have a hard time not staring at _everything_. The ballroom was enormous, for one thing, and it was painted with beautiful murals and gold leaf, and there was an honest to God crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Remus kept on reminding himself that he was here to work, not to stare.

He followed James into the ballroom, and positioned himself where Mrs McGonagall told him to. Each of the four footmen, as well as the butler and the valet, had their own positions, and Remus imagined the circular ballroom to be divided into six equal sections. He hoped he wouldn’t muck this up in some way or another.

The guests started arriving just as Remus’s tray of drinks was beginning to feel too heavy, and he was almost glad to be able to offer them to people. That feeling didn’t last long, however, and soon he was hurrying back to the kitchens for another tray. He had known that balls were occasions for drinking, but he hadn't been aware that the guests drank _this much_.

He balanced the tray on one hand as well as he could and took a deep breath before reentering the ballroom. He had only been gone for a few minutes, but the room seemed to be even more packed than it had been when he left. Remus briefly wondered how many people had been invited in order to fill a room this big, but he quickly dismissed the thought. If he thought about it too much, he would start counting people, and he was here to work, not to stare.

Suddenly, everyone went silent. They all turned towards the grand staircase where the new guests entered the ballroom. Remus looked around to see what the other servants were doing, and when he saw them turning to face the staircase as well, he followed suit.

The Lord and Lady Black were walking down the stairs. She was wearing an elegant deep green dress, and her hair was pulled back harshly from her face in an updo, decorated with a single silver comb. He was wearing all black, his hair slicked back from his pale face just as harshly as hers, and Remus felt a shiver run up his spine as Lord Black’s gaze swept the room. To anger this man would be deadly. Together, they swept down the stairs, then split off in opposite directions to mingle with the crowd. Slowly, the chatter in the room started up again, and people went back to their drinks. Remus, however, stayed rooted to the spot. Because there was Sirius, coming down the stairs, and he looked gorgeous.

Remus was sure that Sirius would look beautiful anywhere, no matter his clothes, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of him as Sirius slowly descended the staircase. His jacket was green, so dark that it looked nearly black, and his hair had been neatly slicked back and parted. Remus wanted to run his fingers through it, mess it up, make it look the way it did in the evenings when the wind would catch it. He stared for a long while, and he hardly noticed the boy walking next to Sirius.

It must be Regulus, Remus thought, because he looked so much like Sirius that there was no one else it could possibly be. He was holding onto the railing with one hand and the other was resting on Peter’s arm, and Remus vaguely remembered James telling him about how Regulus had gone blind. Some sort of illness, if Remus remembered correctly. He could be wrong, of course, because he didn’t always listen when James talked about Regulus. Which was rather a lot, now that he thought about it. Remus logged that information away, and got back to work. It would not do to have Potter see him just standing there. Or worse, to have Kreacher berating him for it. Remus shuddered at the thought of the old valet, and offered a drink to the nearest couple.


	19. Part Two: Chapter 9

As Sirius entered the ballroom, he scanned each and every face, trying to find Remus, but with no success. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he tried to look some more, he really did, but he was soon accosted by some distant relative, and a look from his mother told him that if he was rude, he would suffer for it. So he snatched a glass of something–he wasn’t really sure what, and he didn’t particularly care–off of James’s tray as he passed, and listened to the old lady ramble unintelligibly. When she finally wandered off, he tried to slip away, but his mother took his arm in a tight grip and pulled him over to her sister.

“Druella,” she said, an icy cold smile on her lips, “look who I found.”

Sirius’s aunt smiled at him with only a tiny bit more warmth than his mother. “Sirius!” she said, “We were just talking about you. Walburga tells me you’re going to marry.”

“Yes,” Sirius said tersely. His mother’s nails dug into his arm, and he forced a polite smile onto his face. “I am looking forward to meeting with all the young ladies here tonight.”

His mother’s grip didn’t change, so he decided his answer had been acceptable, if not perfect. He looked around, trying his best not to move his head. There was no sign of Andromeda, his favourite cousin, or of Alphard, his favourite uncle. To his left, Regulus was standing with his back to the wall, talking happily with both Peter and James. To his right, his cousin Bellatrix was talking with some young man, a Lestrange, if Sirius was correct. Her head was thrown back and he could hear her cackle of a laugh even over all the noise.

_Escape to the left it is, then,_ he decided. He was just plotting ways to get out of his mother’s clutches when she called out shrilly, “Bellatrix, darling, why don’t you come over here? Your cousin is eager to speak with you.”

Bellatrix peeled herself away from Lestrange and came over to where Sirius was standing. She looked about as pleased to be here as he was, and Sirius allowed himself that tiny bit of satisfaction.

“Bella, darling, did you know that Sirius is planning on getting married?” Druella asked.

“Yes,” Bellatrix said. She looked as though she would like to mumble it, but didn't dare. “I did hear something of that nature.”

Sirius’s mother smiled. It didn’t reach her eyes. “How are you doing these days, Bellatrix? Have you any inclination to marry?”

In that instant, Sirius and Bellatrix locked eyes as both of their worst fears came true. Bellatrix glanced at her mother, who shot her a glare. Bellatrix sighed almost imperceptibly, and said, “Yes, Aunt, I have.”

“A lovely thing in a young lady,” Walburga said.

“Oh, I agree,” added Druella. “It is certainly an excellent thing when one’s child chooses to marry young. All the more time for grandchildren.”

“Indeed.”

It was a long time before Sirius managed to extract himself from that conversation. He made his excuses and slipped off into the crowd before his mother could find a reason to keep him any longer. Only when he was sure he was out of her sight did he start to relax. One of the Prewitt twins walked past holding a tray of drinks, and Sirius considered taking one, but dinner hadn’t been served yet, and that night was not the night to get drunk. He needed to be fully sober if he was going to avoid his mother.

He squeezed in between two dancing couples, wincing at the scent of body odour that wasn’t quite covered up by perfume, and walked right into a footman.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, picking up the empty tray the footman had dropped. “I didn’t see you th–” he froze when he saw the footman’s face. “Remus?” he breathed.

Remus smiled, and he looked even more lovely up close. His curls had been neatly combed and parted, but Sirius could still see a few sticking out around his ears and neck. He had freckles, Sirius realized, and he sent up a silent prayer of thanks for this meeting, because how else could he have seen the lovely freckles covering Remus’s face? He realized he was staring at the same time that he realized that Remus was staring back.

“It’s, ah, it’s nice to meet you,” Sirius managed. Remus nodded. His deep brown eyes were wide, and Sirius was sure he could see a flush on Remus’s cheeks.

“Can I–can I have the tray?” Remus asked, and his voice was soft, and slightly hoarse, and perfect, absolutely perfect.

“The what?”

“The tray, the drinks tray, you have it in your hands.”

“Oh,” Sirius felt a flush on his own cheeks as he handed over the tray. Remus took it slowly, and the few seconds when their hands touched felt like an eternity.

“I, er, I have to go…” Remus trailed off, gesturing vaguely with the tray. Somehow, Sirius understood what he meant.

“Go get your drinks,” he said. “I’ll be right here when you get back.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Remus said, and Sirius grinned, pleased that this almost felt like the playful banter from their letters.

“I’ll wait here,” he promised.


	20. Part Two: Chapter 10

Remus had to sit down. Just inside the servant’s entrance to the ballroom, he slid down against the wall and grinned at the ceiling. Really, there was no reason for him to be so happy about this. He had spoken approximately three sentences to Sirius, and their hands had brushed for a moment, and then he left. _But Sirius said he’d wait for you_ , he reminded himself. “But Sirius said he’d wait for me.” He said it out loud, just to hear the words.

“You know, talking to yourself is never a good sign.” Remus jumped as James strolled down the corridor towards him, a full tray in his hands.

“Sorry,” Remus said. “I was just–”

“Talking about Sirius. I heard.” James shot him a grin. “You should have seen how happy he was when I told him you would be here. The news perked him right up.” And with that, James opened the door and strolled out into the ballroom.

Remus knew he couldn’t take too long, but he stayed for another minute to process that information. There was no way Sirius could return his feelings. Right? Fuck, he wasn’t even sure if he did have feelings for Sirius. All of it could just have been a combination of loneliness and homesickness and Sirius’s handsome face. Remus shook his head and stood up. He got more drinks and brought them into the ballroom, weaving through dancing couples and trying as hard as he could not to spill any.

By the time he got to Sirius, a few people had already taken drinks from his tray, and Remus was actively trying to avoid holding it near people. He spotted Sirius, standing by himself near the wall, and made a beeline for him, not stopping even as the guests tried to take some drinks.

“Sirius,” he said, and was immediately embarrassed at how breathless he sounded. “How is the ball?”

Sirius snorted. “Oh, you know.” He waved a hand vaguely. “My mother and my aunt are plotting mine and my cousin’s marriage, nothing new.”

“Oh?” Remus tried for ‘mildly interested’ rather than ‘will be heartbroken if Sirius actually wants this marriage’.

Sirius laughed. “It’s a little bit funny, really, because you see, me and my cousin hate each other. Viciously,” he added, and Remus laughed. Sirius grinned at him. “I’m not making it up, we truly do despise each other. I don’t think I could stand being married to her, and I don’t think she could stand being married to me.”

“Well surely that’s a reason to not get married, then.”

“Not to our mums. They just want to make sure they get some good heirs out of us, without a speck of commoner blood in them.” Sirius scoffed. “As if inbred heirs are any better.”

Remus couldn’t think of anything to say to that, and for a moment neither of them spoke.

“Fang woke me up today,” Remus said.

“I’m sorry, _who_?” Sirius asked.

“Fang,” Remus repeated, “Hagrid's dog.”

“Oh.” Sirius nodded in understanding. “I am not entirely sure what I thought you were referring to when you said Fang, but it certainly wasn’t a dog.”

Remus laughed. “Hagrid’s dogs do have strange names, don’t they?”

“I don’t know any of them.”

“You don’t know Hagrid’s dogs’ names?” Remus gasped. “A tragedy, Sir, a tragedy!”

Sirius laughed. “It could be solved if you told me their names,” he pointed out.

“Hmmm,” Remus pretended to think about it. “Yes, I suppose I can tell you.”

“Are Hagrid’s dogs’ names _that_ secret?” Sirius asked teasingly.

Remus regarded him with mock solemnity. “Yes. They are.”

“Very well,” Sirius said. “I promise not to tell.”

“Excellent. Their names are Fluffy, Fang, Aragog, and Norberta.”

“You must be joking.”

“I’m not, I swear! I have no clue how he thinks of the names, but I certainly could not. Do I look like the kind of person who would lie to you?” Remus put on his most innocent face.

“You look like the kind of person who would do a very good job of pretending he doesn’t lie.”

“Damn, you got me.” They both collapsed into laughter.

“So,” Sirius said finally, “you said Fang woke you up today?”

“Yes!” Remus said. He tried not to wave his arms around too much as he sometimes did when telling stories. Normally, his audience appreciated the enthusiasm, but he didn’t want to spill the last drink on a party guest.

“I was fast asleep this morning,” he started, “not a care in the world, dreaming away peacefully. But I must have forgotten to latch my door shut, because I woke up to the sound of it crashing open–no, no, you don’t understand, Sirius, it could have _broken_!–and then a massive dog jumping on my chest! I couldn’t breathe!” Remus finished dramatically, pleased with Sirius’s response. He had been laughing the whole time, and he looked to have almost entirely forgotten about his cousin. Remus couldn't help but feel a little bit pleased with himself. That, after all, had been the goal.


	21. Part Two: Chapter 11

Remus’s tray was almost empty, and he regarded the last wine glass mournfully.

“You’ll have to go refill that soon, won’t you?” Sirius asked. Remus looked at him and for a moment he was sure that the expression on Sirius’s face mirrored his own disappointment about their time to talk coming to an end. Then Sirius smiled, and Remus pushed the thought away. It had been stupid of him to allow it into his head in the first place.

“Yes,” Remus said. “And I should probably get back to proper work soon. It’s been wonderful to talk to you, it really has,” he added hurriedly, “it’s just that if Potter or Kreacher see me not working…”

“Of course,” Sirius said, and this time Remus was definitely not imagining the disappointment on Sirius’s face. “But we will talk again?” he asked hopefully.

“Of course we will! I will make sure of it.”

Sirius smiled, and was about to answer when his eyes widened in fear. He took the wine glass off of Remus’s tray and waved a dismissive hand at him. Confused, Remus turned to go and saw the reason for Sirius’s sudden change. Lady Black was making her way through the crowd towards them, and although she most likely hadn’t seen them, Remus followed Sirius’s lead and walked away briskly, as if he really had just given away his final drink as was going to get some more.

On his way to the servant’s corridor, James caught up to him, his empty tray held in his hand.

“So,” he said with a knowing smirk, “you and Sirius were looking quite cozy over there.”

“Fuck off,” Remus muttered. He could feel his cheeks burning.

James laughed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he got you promoted to footman just to have you dress him.”

“James!” Remus hissed, glancing around. Thankfully, no one seemed to have heard them, and Remus hurried over to the door and wrenched it open.

“It’s not like that,” he informed James once the door was firmly shut behind them. “We’re _friends_ , nothing more.”

“Oh, please,” James scoffed. “With all the staring you two do? _Friends_ , my arse.”

“We _are_ , I swear! Why would I lie to you, James?”

James studied him intently. “You want to be something else to him.”

Remus hugged his tray to his chest and wondered vaguely if it would calm his wildly beating heart. “Don’t tell anyone?” he whispered. “Please?”

James’s eyes went wide. “Of course I won’t tell anyone, Remus! Did you think I would?”

Remus shrugged. “Well, you’re not – that,” he said haltingly. “And people don’t often take kindly to it.”

James leaned in towards Remus. “You know Fabian Preweitt?”

“Yes?”

“I used to fancy him. A lot.”

“Really?”

James nodded, grinning. “Really. Not anymore, though. There’s, er, someone else I’ve got my eye on.”

Remus smirked. “Is it Lily Evans or Lord Regulus? Because if it’s Regulus, you’re not allowed to make fun of me at all for Sirius.”

James’s cheeks flushed a little bit, and he stuck his hands in his trouser pockets, the tray now tucked under his arm. “Um. It’s. Both of them?”

“Oh,” Remus said. He grinned wickedly. “Makes sense, I suppose, although I think you’ll have about as much luck as me in terms of romance.”

James snorted, but he looked relieved. “Trust me Remus, I know.”


	22. Part Two: Capter 12

It was the middle of the day, and Sirius’s parents were away in London, and he wasn’t sure what to do with himself.

Normally, he spent his days in his bedroom, Regulus’s bedroom, or a dark corner of the library. Really, he spent his days anywhere that allowed him to avoid his parents. But with them gone away, and with Regulus out somewhere with Peter, Sirius had the house to himself.

It was a strange feeling, to be wandering the rooms without worrying about being found, and Sirius felt almost uncomfortable after a while. Rain was spitting from the sky, but there wasn’t much, so Sirius pulled on his overcoat and strolled out the front doors.

He spent an hour or so wandering around the grounds before he started to get hungry. Checking his pocket watch, he saw that it was almost noon, and decided to sneak into the kitchens and see if the cook could get him something to eat. He didn’t particularly fancy eating alone in the massive dining room.

He rounded the corner to the kitchen door and froze in his tracks. Remus was standing by the door, leaning against the wall and looking as elegant as any nobleman with his long legs crossed at the ankle, and he was _smoking a cigarette_. His head was turned away, and Sirius could just barely see his profile as he released a lungful of smoke. He wasn’t wearing his cap, and unlike at the ball, his hair wasn’t slicked back, and his damp curls looked lovely and soft. Sirius swallowed, hard.

“Hi, Remus,” he managed. He was sure his voice would crack if he said any more, and that was an embarrassment he would rather avoid.

Remus, in his surprise, nearly choked on the next drag of the cigarette. He bent over, hands on his knees as he coughed, and Sirius tentatively reached out and put a hand on Remus’s back. What good that was supposed to do, he wasn’t sure. Moral support, perhaps?

Finally, Remus straightened up, and Sirius let his hand fall to his side.

“Hi, Sirius,” he said with a sheepish smile and Sirius couldn’t think for a moment. Remus’s voice was hoarse, and it shouldn’t have made Sirius’s heart stop for a second and his stomach flip, but it did. Sirius just stared for a moment.

“Sirius?” Remus asked tentatively.

“Yes?”

“Are you–okay?”

“Er, yes. I’m fine. How are you?” Sirius cringed internally, but Remus smiled.

“I’m well, thank you.”

They stood in awkward silence for a moment. It was awkward from Sirius’s side, anyway. Remus seemed perfectly at ease, and lifted the cigarette to his lips once more.


	23. Part Two: Chapter 13

Remus’s heart was beating wildly in his chest, and he hoped that his hands weren’t shaking too obviously. He glanced at Sirius, and then looked quickly away. Sirius’s cheeks and nose were red from the chill, and beads of rain were sticking to his wool overcoat. Just before Remus looked away, Sirius’s eyes darted up and met Remus’s gaze. The flush on his cheeks deepened, and Remus wondered if it had even been from the cold in the first place.

“What are you doing wandering around here?” Remus asked, sending a soft smile in Sirius’s direction.

“Nothing, really.” Sirius laughed. “I wanted to do something different, I suppose.”

“Ah,” Remus nodded, then grinned mischievously at Sirius. “Oh, to be a lord whose idea of something different is spending his days outside the servant’s quarters.”

Sirius looked momentarily sheepish, but when Remus laughed, he joined in.

“Perhaps that wasn’t the best way to phrase it,” Sirius conceded, “but I wanted to have lunch and thought I would come downstairs to ask for it to be sent to my room.”

Remus’s eyebrow quirked up. “So you went outside?”

“I was outside already! You’re just being difficult on purpose now, I know you are!”

“The greatest form of amusement known to man.”

Sirius rolled his eyes, but grinned at Remus. Remus stubbed out the cigarette against the side of the house and dropped the butt into a small container near his feet that was already halfway full with other cigarette butts. He opened the kitchen door and looked back over his shoulder at Sirius.

“Let’s go find you some lunch, shall we?”


	24. Part Two: Chapter 14

Sirius followed Remus inside, and he could immediately feel the warmth of the kitchen fires and smell food cooking.

“What is that?” he asked, sniffing the air. “It smells absolutely heavenly.”

“I have no idea what it is, but I’m sure we can find out.” Remus took off his coat and hung it up on a set of hooks near the door, then tramped down the hallway, ruffling his hair with one hand to shake off some of the water. Sirius watched shamelessly as he followed close behind.

The hallway opened up into the kitchen, and Sirius had to stop for a moment to take it in.

The room was massive. Mrs Weasely, the cook, was at the opposite end from Sirius, stirring something on the stove and shouting instructions to her assistants. Remus was making his way through the kitchen, greeting people as he went, and there was something lovely about the way that everyone had a smile for him.

He spoke to Mrs Weasely briefly, and she nodded. Then Remus was weaving his way back through the kitchen towards Sirius.

“A lunch plate will be brought up to your room in a few minutes.” Remus told him.

“Do you have anything else you need to do today?” Sirius asked.

“Not in this weather. Why do you ask?”

“Would you like to have lunch with me?”

Remus didn’t answer for a moment, and Sirius resisted the urge to put his hands in his pockets. Then, Remus smiled. It was a sweet smile, and his lips pressed together as if he were trying not to let it show too much.

“Absolutely,” he said.


	25. Part Two: Chapter 15

“So this is how you live.” Remus turned in a circle, taking in every inch of Sirius’s bedroom. The desk by the wall, the plush carpets, the massive bed. The window. Remus walked over and looked out. There was the greenhouse, right underneath the window. Remus turned and leaned against the sill. “This is very nice,” he informed Sirius.

“Oh, I’m glad you think so,” Sirius’s voice was tinged with sarcasm, but he looked very pleased. Remus sat on the windowsill and leaned forward.

“How do you make those birds?” he asked. “The ones you send down to me.”

“I can show you!”

“Be my guest.” Remus grinned, and Sirius snatched up two pieces of paper from the desk.

“You start by ripping it into a perfect square.”

“ _Ripping_ it? Isn’t there a better way to do it?”

Sirius sighed good-naturedly. “Fold the top down like this, diagonally–yes, good! And now take the part hanging down and fold that over, crease it, unfold it, and fold it the other way...do that two or three times...good...and now you can rip it off easily.” Sirius unfolded his piece of paper. “Look, now you have a square!”

“An excellent start,” Remus said as he held up his own square.

“Yes, a truly impressive start.” Sirius smiled up at him. “Now, let’s get started on the bird.”

Making the bird turned out to be much harder than Remus had expected. His fingers were not nearly as nimble when handling the paper as Sirius’s were, and where Sirius made neat, sharp creases, Remus’s folds were uneven and rough.

“Let me help you,” Sirius said with a laugh after Remus made a particularly impressive mistake.

“At this point, I don’t know that anything can help, but feel free to try.”

Sirius moved to sit on the windowsill across from Remus. There was barely enough space between them for the paper, and every time their knees brushed, tingles ran up Remus’s spine. Sirius reached down for the paper, then stopped. He looked up at Remus through his eyelashes, almost nervously, before taking Remus’s hands in his own and bringing them down to the paper. Remus found that he couldn’t look at Sirius. All he could focus on was their hands, tangled together, as Sirius guided him through the steps. Finally, a little bird sat in the palm of Sirius’s hand. Remus dared a glance up at him, and somehow found the courage to hold Sirius’s gaze as he reached out to pluck the bird from his hand. As he did so, Sirius’s hand closed around his.

Sirius leaned closer, and Remus could feel his breath puffing across his face. Sirius’s eyes flickered down, to Remus’s lips, and Remus thought, _fuck it_.

He closed the gap between them, and the kiss was tentative at first, but when it became clear that neither of them had misread the other, their fingers tightened around each other, careful not to crush the bird. Remus’s free hand wrapped around Sirius’s shoulder, and Sirius’s went up to tangle in Remus’s hair. They parted, both panting for air, and Remus leaned his forehead against Sirius’s, smiling into the space between them.

Suddenly, another voice spoke up. “My lord, I have lunch for you and Remus.”

Remus and Sirius leapt apart, and Remus hit his head on the window. Rubbing the back of his head, he looked over at the door to see James standing there, holding a large tray filled with food, and sporting a very smug grin.

“I’ll just leave this here for you two to...enjoy.” He backed out of the room, and Remus heard the distinct click of the key turning in the lock. He looked back at Sirius, and they both doubled over with laughter.

Remus stayed with Sirius all afternoon, and when he left, a neat, perfect little bird was held gently in his fingers, and a messy, half crumpled one sat on Sirius’s desk.


	26. Part Two: Chapter 16

“So how was Sirius?”

“Like I’m going to tell you all the sordid details, James.”

“Ah, so there are sordid details!”

“I will not tell you a bloody thing.”

“You’re only reinforcing my convictions.”

“So long as they stay yours and yours only, I, frankly, couldn’t give a shit.”

“Fine. Do you want to know how I spent my afternoon, since you so cruelly refuse to tell me about yours?”

“Of course, James.”

James turned, straddling the bench to fully face Remus. The two of them were alone in the servant’s dining room, everyone else having already gone to bed. James bounced slightly in place, and Remus did what James clearly wanted him to do and mimicked his position.

“So,” he asked, “what did you do this afternoon?”

“Well,” James said, eyes alight with glee, “Peter had the afternoon off, so guess who got to help Regulus?”

“I think I can.”

“Guess!”

“Was it you?”

“Yes! It was amazing! And today was his doctor’s appointment, so Lily was there as well, and I have to say, today was possibly the best day of my life.” James’s smile was infectious, and Remus grinned back just as bright.

“What did you three do? Anything interesting?”

“Yes! Doctor Evans brought along a cane for Regulus. Not the one he will actually be using, of course, but one to practice with. And when we were walking around, Regulus showed us these tunnels!”

“Tunnels,” Remus repeated incredulously.

“Yes, tunnels! In the walls! They go all throughout the house, Remus, it’s incredible!”

“It does sound incredible,” Remus agreed. “You’ll have to show me sometime, but for now, I’m going to go to bed. Goodnight, James.”

“Goodnight, Remus!”


	27. Part Two: Chapter 17

Remus was woken early the next morning by a pounding on his door. He rolled out of bed and opened the door, grumbling and half awake.

James stood outside in the cool predawn air, looking far too sprightly for the early hour.

“What the fuck do you want, Potter?” Remus mumbled.

James snorted. “Sorry to have disturbed you, my liege,” he said with a mocking bow. “But I have a delivery for His Majesty, should he decide to accept it.”

“Fuck off and give me it,” Remus mumbled, holding out a hand.

“In that order?”

Remus just glared.

“Fine, fine, here it is, then you can go back to sleep, you lazy git.” James fumbled in his pocket for a moment, then pulled out a key and pressed it into Remus’s hand.

“What’s this?” Remus asked as he examined it. It was beautifully elaborate, and he traced the design on the handle with his index finger as he waited for James’s answer.

“It’s the key to Sirius’s room,” James said with a grin. “I made a copy of mine last night, but I thought you should have this one. Makes it a bit more special when it’s the original.”

Remus gaped at James for a second, the key clutched tightly in his hand. “You–you–you did _what_?”

“Got you a copy of the key to Sirius’s bedroom,” James repeated cheerfully. “No need to thank me, I’ll just get going, leave you to your beauty rest.” He walked a few steps away then said over his shoulder, “Sirius likes to be woken up at nine thirty.”


	28. Part Three: Chapter 1

Remus unlocked the door to Sirius’s room and opened it just enough so that he could slip through, then closed it quickly and quietly, locking it behind him. The room was dark, but Remus knew it almost by heart now, and he slipped off his shoes to walk softly across the room to where he could just make out the silhouette of Sirius’s bed. When he reached it, he felt around for the covers, still being as careful as he could to not wake Sirius.

Finally, he found the edge of the blanket and slipped under it, sliding across the bed until his outstretched hand touched Sirius’s back. Remus wrapped himself around Sirius and pressed a flurry of small kisses to his neck and shoulder where his nightshirt had slipped down. Sirius sighed happily in his sleep and shifted a little. Remus leaned over and kissed his cheek, then whispered in his ear, “Good morning, my lord.”

Sirius’s eyes fluttered open, and he rolled over to smile sleepily at Remus. “I almost thought you were James, but James would never wake me in such a lovely way.”

“And would you want him to?” Remus asked with a laugh.

“Not at all,” Sirius said. He took Remus by the back of the head and pulled him down for a proper kiss. Remus swung a leg over Sirius’s hips and held himself up on his elbows as Sirius’s hands roamed across his back, slipping under his shirt and tickling along his spine.

Remus pulled away slowly, wishing he didn’t have to but knowing that he should. He rolled off of Sirius, who whined at the lack of contact, and Remus gave in for a moment. He wrapped his arms around Sirius’s waist and shoved his face into the side of Sirius’s neck. Sirius hugged Remus tightly and kissed the top of his head.

“I wish we didn’t have to get up,” Remus said.

“Me too,” Sirius agreed. “Do I have anything important to do today? Do _you_ have anything important to do today?”

Remus sighed. “I can’t skive off work as often as you think I can, Siri. And your cousin is coming today.”

“Oh, lord,” Sirius groaned, “ _my cousin_.”

“Your fucking cousin,” Remus muttered. He peeled himself away from Sirius and got off the bed. He padded over to the window and threw open the curtains, making Sirius shriek in surprise.

“Remus! That hurt my eyes!”

“Sorry.” Remus sent him a decidedly _not_ sorry grin over his shoulder and Sirius glared at him playfully. He got out of bed and stretched his arms up above his head, then jammed his feet into his slippers and shuffled across the room to his wardrobe.

“What shall I wear to meet my cousin, Remus? Something appropriately hideous?”

Remus joined Sirius at the wardrobe and studied it thoughtfully. “What about the red one?”

“That’s hardly hideous!”

“No, but it will enrage your parents, which was the point of the hideousness, was it not?”

“I suppose it was, yes. Still, I want to save that one for something special.”

“Are you saying your cousin isn’t special?” Remus teased.

“Bellatrix? Certainly not. Ah, I know what I should wear!” Sirius reached into his wardrobe and pulled out a jacket that was indeed a hideous dull green colour. Remus covered his mouth, trying to hide his amusement, but it proved impossible when Sirius held the jacket up against his chest and said, “I have trousers to match.”

“Well in that case,” Remus said solemnly, “You absolutely must wear it.”


	29. Part Three: Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyy quick warning for very brief child abuse at the end of this chapter 'cause Orion SUCKS

Sirius strode down the hallway as slowly as he could while still giving the appearance of striding; if his father saw him doing something like, say, _strolling_ down the hallway, Sirius would be in for – well, for a scolding at the very least. Perhaps today was a _very least_ kind of day though, he thought to himself, because if it was in fact the day that he and his cousin would become officially engaged, his parents wouldn’t want him to look roughed up in the photograph. And Sirius was fairly certain that he was right about the reason his cousin was coming to visit today. It certainly couldn’t be a social call.

Three weeks had passed since the ball, a brief but appropriate amount of time for courting, especially if the two involved had known each other for as long as Sirius and Bellatrix had. Known and hated each other, but that wasn’t really relevant to Sirius’s parents. This was about keeping the family bloodlines pure, and affection of any sort didn’t play into it.

Sirius shook off those gloomy thoughts and thought instead of Remus. His heart lifted at the mere thought of his name, and Sirius knew this was not just some passing fling. This was going to last. He was going to make sure it would.

Their first kiss had been two and a half weeks ago, and the next morning Remus had appeared at his door instead of James. Sirius had hardly seen James in the morning since, and he suspected that James was taking the time to go visit Regulus instead. Sirius had no complaints about this new arrangement. The past two weeks had been some of the most pleasant in his life, and he wouldn’t give it up for the world.

Sirius’s happiness lasted all the way to the sitting room doors, where it melted away the moment he heard Bellatrix’s voice. He stood in front of the door for a moment, squared his shoulders, and walked in.

“There you are, Sirius,” his mother said coldly. “I rather thought you had decided not to grace us with your presence this morning.”

“Not at all, Mother, not at all.” Sirius greeted his aunt, then put on his most polite smile as he turned to face his cousin. He took the hand that she offered and bowed, lips inches away from the smooth porcelain skin. “After all,” he said, looking Bellatrix in the eye, “how could I miss the chance to see my dearest cousin?”

Bellatrix curtsied politely, but the look in her eyes was murderous. “The sentiment is, of course, returned,” she said with a sickly sweet smile. Sirius nodded his head once, then took the empty seat beside her.

With the formalities out of the way, Lady Walburga got right to business.

“Your engagement will be announced officially in three day’s time. Wedding plans will begin immediately, and you shall be married in the new year, just as soon as possible, what with people going on vacations.” Walburga pursed her lips, as if people went on vacations for the sole purpose of delaying her son’s wedding.

Lady Druella picked up where her sister had left off. “Your honeymoon will last for one week, after which you, Bellatrix, will move here, to Grimmauld house, and Lady Walburga will begin to teach you the duties of a Lady of the estate.”

Sirius found he could do nothing but sit, speechless, as his future was mapped out in front of him. It was a bleak one, even more so in comparison to the comfort and happiness of his mornings with Remus. He wanted to protest, to get up and walk out, to tell his mother that he would never in a million years marry Bellatrix, and that his parents could do whatever they liked to him, but he would never change his mind.

But he didn’t do anything. He just sat, silent and frozen, as his aunt and his mother pressed rings–family heirlooms–into their hands. When prompted, he slid his ring onto Bellatrix’s finger, and let her slide her ring onto his. It was thick, and silver, and shaped like a snake, an emerald winking at him from its eye socket. He shuddered and resisted the urge to turn the eye away from him.

The next hour was a torturous ordeal. The photographer arrived soon after the rings had been exchanged, and then Sirius and Bellatrix were forced into various poses, and the photographer took far more pictures than was necessary, and Sirius was starting to feel as though he was already married. Was the priest really necessary, at this point, he wondered, or was it just a formality?

Finally, the photographer was satisfied, and Sirius saw Bellatrix and Druella out. Exhausted, he started up the stairs to his room, but his mother stopped him.

“Your father wants to see you in his study,” was all she said, but the words sent a chill down Sirius’s spine. He nodded, and turned down the hall towards his father’s study.

He knocked on the door with as much confidence as he could muster, and when his father’s voice boomed, “Come in!”, Sirius stepped into the room and tried not to look terrified.

His father sat at the enormous mahogany desk that took up a good portion of the room. He was writing in a ledger, but looked up at the sound of Sirius’s shoes on the wooden floor. Sirius held his head up high and tried to seem confident.

“Mother said you wanted to see me.”

“Yes, I do. Sit down.” Orion gestured to the chair across from him, and Sirius took it.

“How was Bellatrix?” Orion asked.

“She was very well. Our engagement is to be announced later this week.”

“Very good. And you will, of course, begin wedding preparations?”

“Of course.”

“And this will not be affected by the affair you have been carrying on behind our backs?”

Sirius’s heart stopped. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.” Orion’s voice was harsh, and Sirius flinched when he stood up, slamming his palms on the desk. “You and that blasted gardener boy.”

Sirius had to think fast. His best defence, at this point, was to play dumb. The consequences for him might not be pleasant, but if he could convince his father that his information was false, then perhaps Remus would be able to keep his job.

“Father, I truly don’t know what you mean.” Sirius hoped his voice didn’t waver as he spoke.

Orion’s eyes hardened, and he walked around the desk to stand beside Sirius. Sirius didn’t move, and kept his eyes fixed on the bookshelf in front of him.

“Kreacher saw you,” Lord Orion’s voice was quiet, dangerous. “He saw you, kissing that _boy_ ” –spittle hit Sirius’s cheek– “in the gardens, of all places, and he told me, because he has more loyalty to this family than you do.” Sirius didn’t move. Orion grabbed him by the chin and turned his head to look him in the eyes. Sirius could already feel the bruises forming on his jaw. “You will not see him again. Do you understand me?” When Sirius didn’t respond, Orion released his face, then smacked Sirius in the side of his head, hard enough for Sirius’s ears to start ringing and his eyes to water. “Do you understand?” Orion thundered. Sirius nodded.

“Yes father,” he whispered. “I understand.”


	30. Part Three: Chapter 3

James brought the letter to Remus. In hindsight, that should have been the first sign that something was wrong, because it had been weeks since he and Sirius had written each other letters. These days, if Sirius wanted to talk to Remus, he would wander the grounds until he found him.

But in the moment, it was slightly odd, but nothing truly out of the ordinary. And if James looked less cheery than usual, well, it was probably just due to something going on up at the house. A minor thing that had happened to set off the Lord or Lady. He thanked James for bringing it to him and tucked the letter into his pocket, vaguely planning to read it later that evening with a cup of tea. And then he went back to work digging up the flowerbeds.

Half an hour later, Hagrid found him.

“Remus, I need ter talk to you.” Something in the way he spoke made Remus sit up and pay attention immediately. Hagrid was twisting his hat between his hands, and he looked as though he would rather be anywhere else than here.

“What is it, Hagrid?” Remus stood, dusting the dirt off his trousers to try and cover his apprehension.

Hagrid studied Remus for a long moment before he spoke. “I want you ter know that I had nothing ter do with this decision. Nothin’ at all. An’ I don’t agree with it at all, just so ye know.”

Remus’s heart sank. “What’s going on?” he whispered, still clinging to the hope that maybe Hagrid wasn’t about to tell him what Remus thought was coming, maybe Remus’s duties were changing, maybe–

“Remus, you're fired.”

“Fuck.” He hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but Hagrid didn’t comment.

“You have an hour to collect your things, then you’re to go ter the house ter collect the last of yer pay. I’m sorry, Remus, I wish I didn’t have to be the one ter tell you.”

“It’s okay, Hagrid,” Remus assured him, “I know it’s not your fault. I’ll, um. I’ll go get my things.”

Remus walked to his hut in a daze. There was only one reason he could have gotten fired, really. Someone had seen him and Sirius together. It was possible, he supposed. They had been careful, but perhaps not as careful as they should have been.

It was then that he remembered Sirius’s letter. He stopped mid-stride to pull it out of his pocket, and he read it right there in the middle of the grounds.

**_Remus,_ **

**_My parents know. Or at least my father does. I don’t yet know if he has told my mother. Apparently my father’s valet saw us in the gardens yesterday. I suppose we should have been more careful, but it was such a lovely day, and you truly do look irresistible in the sunlight. But I digress._ **

**_You will be fired. I am so, so sorry to have gotten you into this mess, to have cost you your job. I’m not sorry for the time we spent together, but I do apologize deeply for the consequences._ **

**_My father will try to pay you off, and I encourage you to take the money. I know you would not speak of our relationship to others–you are too discreet for that–but my father doesn’t. Please accept anything he gives you, because knowing that you will not end up starving on the streets will bring me some small comfort. The benefit for you being, of course, that you are not starving on the streets._ **

**_I also encourage you to go to Doctor Evans’s house. He is a kind man, and will not turn you away. Perhaps he will even bring us news of each other._ **

**_And on to the last thing I must tell you: I am to be married. You knew this, of course, but the wedding date is practically set and I can feel it looming over me. I’m sure there is something I could do to prevent it, but I cannot think of anything that would convince my parents to cancel it, and I have no way of leaving. Forgive me, Remus, and know that although I may be bound to another, you will always be, as they say in the stories, my one true love._ **

**_Yours always,_ **

**_Siri_ **

Remus swiped away the tears rolling down his cheeks, but it was futile. “I love you too,” he whispered. “I love you too.” A tear dripped off his chin and onto the paper, smudging the ink. Remus blotted it dry with his sleeve as much as he could, then folded the letter and put it gently in his pocket, where it would come to no harm. He would keep it for the rest of his life if he had to.

It didn’t take him long to pack his few belongings. He closed and latched the door to his hut with a heavy heart, and avoided other servants as much as he could on his way back to the house. He went in through the servant’s door, and snuck as quietly as possible to Potter’s office, where he was waiting with Remus’s pay in hand. He didn’t say much, and Remus didn’t either, but Potter did tell him that Lord Black wanted to see him, and to find him in the study on the main floor. Sirius had been right after all.

Remus hated being inside Grimmauld House. The place had a dark, oppressive feel that was only lifted when he was with Sirius. And now it was unlikely he would ever see Sirius again. Remus pushed that thought from his mind and held back another wave of tears. Now was not the time. Now, he had to speak with Lord Black.

The door to the study was open, and Remus stepped inside hesitantly. Lord Black stood by the window, looking out, but turned when he heard Remus come in. He looked him up and down, and Remus could feel the man’s loathing.

“So you’re the scum that thought it would be acceptable to defile my son.”

Remus chose not to answer. He wasn’t sure he trusted himself to be respectful, and he didn’t want to find out what would happen if he disrespected Lord Black.

“You understand, obviously, that I do not wish for this information to get out.”

Remus nodded.

“And you understand that should I hear a rumour about it, I will know exactly where it came from.”

Remus nodded.

“And if you understand all that, you must, of course, understand that I have ways to find the person spreading such despicable lies, and I have ways to make sure that they...will be unable to spread any more such lies.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Good, good. You may leave.”

Remus left the house on shaky legs, wishing fervently that Sirius’s prediction had been correct, and that Orion had simply tried to offer him money, rather than thinly veiled threats.

He had left through the servant’s door, and on his way to the front of the house, Remus passed by the greenhouses under Sirius’s window. He looked up, almost expecting to see Sirius leaning out and waving, but the window was shrouded in shadow, and Remus couldn’t have seen Sirius even if he was there. Still, Remus blew a kiss up towards the window, hoping that somehow, Sirius would know, and then he set off away from Grimmauld House.


	31. Part Three: Chapter 4

It was a few weeks later when Doctor Evans came to bring Regulus his finished cane. As Regulus was trying it out, Doctor Evans made small talk.

“We have a new houseguest,” he told them, “just fired from his job, poor boy. We’ve taken him in, of course, he’s very helpful around the house.”

Regulus gritted his teeth, and thanked God that his parents weren’t here. Doctor Evans couldn’t possibly be more obvious.

“How very kind of you, Doctor Evans. Is he enjoying his time with your family? I would be surprised if he weren’t.”

Doctor Evans laughed. “You’re too kind, my lord. Yes, our guest is doing well enough, although he is prone to fits of melancholy. But I am sure they will get better with time, as all things do.”

Just before leaving, Doctor Evans slipped James a letter. “Bring this to Sirius, and tell him it’s important.”

“Yes, sir.” James tucked the letter into his jacket, to be delivered at the earliest possible moment.


	32. Part Three: Chapter 5

**_~~Remus,~~ _ **

**_~~My darling Remus,~~ _ **

**_~~My love,~~ _ **

Sirius groaned and let his head fall forward onto his desk. Writing to Remus was useless, he knew that. But he couldn’t help himself. He had written countless letters over the past few weeks, and not a single one had been sent. He tucked them away in his desk, accounts of suit fittings and lunches with Bellatrix, and the congratulations letters that had begun pouring in after his engagement had been announced. One letter told Remus that his job had been taken by “a strange little man”, and another spoke only of Sirius’s supper one evening. Yet another held a detailed description of the autumn light falling across the grounds, and how beautiful it would look in Remus’s hair. Sirius wrote about anything that came to mind, anything that he wanted to tell Remus. And he never sent them.

He hadn’t written a letter in days, and he wanted to now, but he couldn’t seem to get the words out. Maybe it was finally catching up to him, he thought. Maybe he was finally realizing that Remus would never read these words, would never see them and laugh at them, would never write just the right responses to them. Maybe that was why he couldn’t write.

A knock on the door roused Sirius from his dreary thoughts. “Yes?” he called out.

“Letter for you, my lord.”

Sirius sat up. That sounded like James. “Come in,” he said. The door opened, and _yes_ it was James, and he was taking a letter out of the inside pocket of his jacket and handing it to Sirius, who took it with trembling hands.

The outside of the envelope was blank, and Sirius looked at James questioningly. James, face carefully blank, bowed and left the room. Sirius took a deep breath, steadying himself, then ripped open the envelope.

He opened the letter and nearly cried with joy to see his name written in that familiar script.

_Sirius,_

_My love, my one true love, I need you to know that your feelings are returned. I will love you for the rest of my days, and I will always treasure the time we spent together._

_Please, do not apologize. I knew what I was risking and I made my choice. I will always choose you._

_I am staying with Doctor Evans now, and doing well. I cannot bring myself to leave just yet, but I believe that once you are married I will move on. I am sure there is a house somewhere that would be willing to hire me._

_I do not expect you to write back. I understand if you would rather try and forget me, and I will not ask you to do otherwise. But I will not forget you, my love, and I will always be thankful that I had the chance to meet you._

_Your Remus_

Sirius read it, and read it again, and then a third time, and then he just stared at it, taking in Remus’s writing and trying to imagine his voice saying the words. If he closed his eyes, he could almost see Remus, sitting in the windowsill, a soft smile on his face as he told Sirius that he loved him. Sirius choked back a sob and clenched the letter tightly in his hands, only putting it down when he realized he had crumpled the edges. He smoothed it out as best he could and put it with his other letters from Remus, tied up with a red silk ribbon and hidden underneath the windowsill. He wished he could write back, and he almost did, but it would be easier this way. If he stopped now, Remus would forget him. Sirius knew he would, even if Remus himself did not believe it yet.


	33. Part Three: Chapter 6

Two months before his wedding day, Sirius was woken in the dead of night by soft but urgent knocking on his door. He sat up and listened. The knocking paused, then started again, slightly louder. Sirius stood up, still wrapped in his thick blanket, and shuffled towards the door, wincing at the cold floor against his bare feet. He paused, hand on the doorknob, then took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

“Regulus?” he hissed. “What are you doing here?”

Regulus grinned. “I’m here to rescue you. Get your things, quickly, and then we’ll get going.”

Sirius gaped at him. “What do you mean, rescue me?”

“I mean, I’m getting you out of here. And myself, of course.” He gestured towards the case at his feet. “I have my things packed, hurry up and get yours.”

Still baffled, Sirius stepped aside to let Regulus in. He glanced down the hallway, and, thankfully, saw no signs of movement. He shut the door firmly, then turned to Regulus, who had put down his case and was sitting on the bed. Sirius had about a hundred questions, but he settled on the one that would get him the quickest answer.

“What should I pack?”

Regulus snorted. “I should think that would be obvious.”

“Well, it’s not.”

Regulus was taken aback by the anger in his brother’s voice, but he just said, “Clothes, perhaps. Anything of value, either sentimental or monetary.”

Sirius nodded. “How long do I have?”

“Not long. We must be far away by morning.”

Once again, Sirius nodded. He opened his mouth to ask how in the world they were going to get out of the house, but thought better of it. Regulus could be incredibly stubborn, and if he didn’t want to answer Sirius’s questions, he wouldn’t.

Sirius dressed quickly, then dug around for a case. He found one, small and old, hidden in the back of his wardrobe. It would have to do. He packed it carefully, trying to take as much with him as possible. If all went well, he would not be returning after tonight.

The last thing Sirius put in his case was the bundle of Remus’s letters.

“Regulus? I’m ready.”

“Good.” Regulus stood up and picked up his case and his cane. “Let’s get going.”


	34. Part Three: Chapter 7

Down the hallway and around the corner from Sirius’s room, Regulus stopped. Sirius nearly bumped into him in the dark, but Regulus didn’t notice. He was focusing on the feeling of the wall under his fingertips, and when he touched the edge of a tapestry, he frowned and backed up a few steps.

“Regulus, what are you doing?” Sirius whispered furiously. “We need to get out of here!”

“I’m working on it!” Regulus whispered back. “Just give me a moment!”

“What in the world are you doing?”

“Shut _up_ , Sirius!”

Sirius glared at Regulus, but didn’t dare say more. He could barely see Regulus’s silhouette in front of him, much less if there was someone coming down the hall. For all he knew, their entire conversation had been overheard and they were about to be caught. But no one stepped out of the shadows, and when Regulus breathed out a small “Aha!”, Sirius peered over his shoulder to see what was happening.

“Reg,” he gasped, “How did you find this?”

Regulus grinned and stepped through the doorway that had opened in the wall. “I found it months ago. I’ve memorized the way down to the kitchens, but we can’t turn on any lights, so hold on to me and don’t let go.”

Sirius took the arm that Regulus offered him, and they entered the passageway. Sirius swung the door shut behind them, and suddenly the darkness was absolute. The only thing Sirius could hear was the soft   
tapping of Regulus’s cane as he navigated the narrow hall.

“Why can’t we turn on the lights?” Sirius whispered.

“I don’t know how well concealed these tunnels are,” Regulus replied. “The light may shine through cracks in the wall, and that could easily get us caught. And,” he added, “I don’t know where they are. Usually Peter or James turn them on.”

“Peter and James come here?”

“I was with Peter when I found it. James has come a few times since, on days when Peter was unable to attend me.”

“Do they know what we’re doing?”

“No. When our parents discover we have gone, James and Peter will be the first people they ask. I didn’t want to force them to lie for us.”

“Oh.” Sirius couldn’t think of anything more to say to that, and they continued on in silence.

“Stairs,” Regulus said, and Sirius felt him start to descend them. Sirius shuffled along the floor until he felt the edge of the first step. Carefully, he lowered one foot, then the other. He held tight to Regulus’s arm as they walked, shuffling his feet along each step in an effort not to trip. As hard as he tried, Sirius didn’t dare speed up. He lacked Regulus’s practice and familiarity, and he could tell he was slowing his brother down, but Regulus didn’t complain. He simply paused on each step as Sirius felt his way down, then stepped down to the next one and waited for Sirius again.

They were at the bottom of the staircase when Sirius heard it. Voices, speaking softly enough that he couldn’t quite make out words, but he could definitely hear them.

“Regulus,” he whispered, “where are we?”

“On the third floor, behind the walls of our father’s bedroom. Why?”

“Do you hear that?”

Sirius felt Regulus shift closer to him. “What are you doing?”

“Listening. Put your ear against the wall, it will help.”

Sirius did so, and the sounds solidified into words. “Is that Kreacher?” he asked.

“I think so.”

“What is he doing up at this hour?”

“Shut up and listen and you might find out.”

Sirius rolled his eyes, but brought his attention back to the conversation.

“My lord,” Kreacher was saying, and his oily voice made Sirius shudder. “I apologize once again for having woken you–”

“Yes, I understand that you apologize, now get on with it! What did you have to tell me?”

“Yes, my lord. Apologies.”

Sirius heard a harsh sigh from his father, but nothing else.

“You see,” Kreacher continued, “I have seen Lord Sirius and Lord Regulus tonight. _Out of bed_.”

“Have you?” Orion sounded extremely exasperated. “And what were they doing?”

“I couldn’t say, my lord, but they were on the fourth floor outside of Lord Sirius’s room, and they both had travelling cases with them.”

“Very well, Kreacher, I will handle this matter. Go and wake Potter and send him up.”

“Yes, my Lord.” The sounds of quick, scurrying footsteps came through the wall, then the door clicked shut and Orion sighed once more. Sirius felt frozen in place, and he couldn’t move a muscle until Regulus took him by the arm and tugged him gently along the passageway.

“We’re past his rooms now,” Regulus whispered after a few minutes. A wave of emotions flooded Sirius, and he sank to the floor on suddenly shaky legs.

“They’re going to find us,” he said. “They’re going to go to our rooms and see that we aren’t there, and they’re going to look for us and they’re going to find us.”

“No, they won’t,” Regulus said firmly. “I am going to get us out of here, and I’m going to do it tonight. Do you understand me, Sirius?”

Sirius barely heard him. “And Kreacher! That bastard always had it out for me, I should have known he would be spying on my room. He was just waiting for me to fuck up–”

“Sirius!” Regulus knelt down beside him. “It’s going to be fine. Yes, it will be more difficult, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Potter is in charge of the search. That means that James will be part of it as well. I didn’t want to involve James in this, but if that’s what we must do to escape, then we will do it.”

“How do you know he’ll help us?”

Regulus snorted. “Have you _met_ James? Of course he’ll help us. Now come on, get up. You’re not helping anyone by sitting around here feeling sorry for yourself.”

Sirius took a deep breath. He stood up and felt around for Regulus’s arm, holding onto it tightly. “If you’re sure.”

Regulus laughed. “Of course I am.”


	35. Part Three: Chapter 8

James was shaken awake–rather rudely, he thought–by his father. He pulled the blanket up over his face, grumbling, but Fleamont tugged it off of him.

“Lord Sirius and Lord Regulus have gone missing.”

_That_ woke James up. He shot bolt upright, hair a mess, eyes wild. “Missing? When?” he demanded.

“About an hour ago, we think. Kreacher says he saw them outside Lord Sirius’s room with travelling cases.”

James resisted the urge to curse. “And they haven’t been found?”

“Not yet.” Fleamont shook his head. “Do you know where they might be?”

James’s mind raced. They were escaping, they must be. Regulus hadn’t said anything, but James had always paid attention to him. Recently, Regulus had been spending more time in the tunnels in the walls, he had been walking the same route throughout the house over and over again, and James had said nothing. He had assumed that Regulus was simply trying to memorize the layout of the house and the different ways to navigate it. But this, he thought, this made more sense.

He could tell his father his suspicions about where they were. But as much as his father disliked Lord Black, he would not lie to him. That was up to James.

“I don’t know where they are,” he told his father, “but I can help you look.”

“Thank you.” Fleamont sounded relieved. “I need all the help I can get.”


	36. Part Three: Chapter 9

As soon as it seemed reasonable, James suggested to his father that they search separate parts of the house. If Fleamont searched the top two floors while James took the lower ones, the chances of Fleamont finding Sirius and Regulus were greatly diminished. What he told Fleamont, however, was that it made more sense for them to each take two floors, and that maybe the young lords had decided that a retreat to the upper floors would be less predictable, and therefore the smarter option. Fleamont agreed readily, and as soon as he was out of sight, James set off at a near sprint for the kitchens.

He knew exactly where Regulus would have taken Sirius. He had thought it strange, Regulus’s interest in that particular entrance to the tunnels, but it was something else he had never commented on. James wondered if he should perhaps ask more questions when people did strange things.

In the hallway near the kitchen, he pressed on the brick, and the door swung open. He held up his lantern and said as loudly as he dared, “Regulus? Sirius? It’s James.” No one answered.

James glanced around, making sure that no one was nearby. He entered the passageway and set off in the direction he had seen Regulus take so many times.

“Regulus? Sirius?” he called out. Still nothing.

By the time he got to the staircase leading to the second floor, James was starting to wonder if he was wrong. Maybe they had gone somewhere else. Maybe they had managed to leave the house before James had joined the search. Maybe they had already been caught but no one had been able to find James yet to tell him.

Then, in the corner of his eye, he saw movement. He whipped his head around and squinted at the stairs. There was a small gap between the stairs and the wall, just wide enough that a person could, with a lot of effort, hide in it. James held up his lantern and slowly moved forward.

“Regulus? Sirius?”

“James!” It was Regulus, no doubt about it. There were some small scuffling sounds, and Sirius squeezed out of the small space, his shirt catching on the uneven wood of the stairs. A small rip appeared. He smiled weakly at James, then reached into the hiding space to pull Regulus out. He emerged with only slightly more dignity than Sirius, although he did manage to avoid any torn clothes.

“James,” Regulus said, straightening his shirt, “what a lovely surprise.”

Sirius blinked. “Weren’t we waiting for him?”

“We were _not_ ,” Regulus said with dignity. “We were waiting until the search was over _or_ until James found us.”

“But we were still waiting for him.”

Regulus glared at Sirius, but didn’t argue the point any longer. “James, how long do we have before Potter comes looking for us down here?”

“Several hours, I believe. He should be on the fourth floor right now.”

“Excellent.” Regulus took a few steps forward, and James moved to the side to let him pass. “Sirius,” Regulus asked, “where did you put our things?”

“Right!” Sirius hurried off to the kitchen, leaving James and Regulus alone.

“Why are the bags in the kitchen?” James asked.

“They wouldn’t fit in that hiding spot with both of us.”

“Ah.” James fished around for something else to say, and finally came up with, “Where do you plan on going?”

Regulus shrugged. “I hadn’t planned that far ahead. I suppose we could go to Doctor Evans, and I am sure he would take us in, but…” he shrugged. “My parents are frightening at the best of times, and I do not want to be responsible for the doctor being on their bad side.”

James reached out and took Regulus’s hand. His heart was beating so hard that it must have been audible, but Regulus didn’t flinch away. He laced their fingers together, and in the lantern light, James was sure he saw a flush on Regulus’s cheeks.

“Go to Doctor Evans,” James whispered. “I want to know you’re safe. I–I want to be able to see you again. Evans is a smart man. He’ll hide you until your parents stop looking. I know it.”

Regulus didn’t say anything. James watched him, the furrow of his brow as he thought, the dark hair rumpled and messy from sleep. There was a cobweb on his shoulder, and James wanted to brush it off, but both of his hands were full and he would not let go of either the lantern or of Regulus’s hand.

“Here are the cases, and I took some food as well. I’m sure we’ll need it.” Sirius stopped short when he got a good look at them, and he smirked. James gave Regulus’s hand one last squeeze, then dropped it.

“It’s time for you two to go,” he said. “The sooner you’re out of here, the better.”


	37. Part Three: Chapter 10

It was late morning when Remus woke up, if the bright sunlight shining through the crack in his curtains was any indication. He stretched his arms above his head, considered getting up, and decided against it. No matter how long he lived with the Evans’s, he didn’t think he would ever get used to the luxury of sleeping in, and he took every opportunity to do it.

Sinking back against the pillows, he closed his eyes and was almost asleep again when he was suddenly sure that he had heard Sirius’s voice.

He sat up, fully awake again, and listened. Nothing. It must have been a dream, then. With a sigh, he closed his eyes again, hoping to return to that lovely dream.

His door creaked open.

“Lily, if you’re trying to get me up, I swear on all that is holy I will–”

“It’s not Lily.”

The soft voice made Remus sit up so fast he fell out of bed in a tangle of limbs and blankets. As he tried to separate the two, he heard laughter and felt a pair of hands pull the blanket off of him, take his arms, and pull him to his feet.

And then he was face to face with Sirius Black.

Wide-eyed, Remus reached out, gently touching Sirius’s cheek. It was warm, and it felt real. It felt like he was actually there. Remus moved his hand up, briefly cupping the side of Sirius’s face, then up further, tangling in his hair, and he could feel his hand begin to shake. Sirius kept his tight grip on Remus’s arms, watching him like he had never seen him before.

“Am I dreaming?” Remus whispered. Sirius shook his head.

“You’re not. I promise you, my love, you’re not dreaming.” His eyes were damp with tears, and Remus felt his own tears spill over onto his cheeks, but they were both smiling, and their smiles were so big their faces hurt, and a laugh bubbled up in Remus’s chest, and when he let it out he felt a weight lift off of him. Sirius’s hold loosened, until his hands were simply resting on Remus’s arms, and then he pulled Remus into him, and they hugged each other as tightly as they possibly could.

Remus stepped away from the hug first, but only an inch or so, creating just enough space between them for him to tilt Sirius’s head up and bring their lips together. It wasn’t much of a kiss. They were both smiling too much for it to really count, and Sirus’s lips tasted salty from his tears, and Remus was sure that his own were the same, but it was perfect. Remus rested his forehead against Sirius’s, his arms wrapped loosely around Sirus’s waist, Sirius’s arms around his neck, and he revelled in it. In Sirius’s presence, his touch, his smile, all the things Remus never thought he would have again. But here Sirius was, right in front of him.

Remus kissed him again, pulling Sirius as close as he could get. Later, he would ask how he came to be here. But now, in this moment, he would just revel in the fact that Sirius was here.


	38. Epilogue

Sirius hummed a cheery tune as he walked up the cobblestone path towards the little cottage. His hair, grown almost to his shoulders now, was tied back in a ponytail, and it brushed against the back of his neck as he looked up at the evening sky, already speckled with stars. A wicker basket hung from his elbow, filled with the groceries he had just bought from the market. It was a good day.

The flowers in the front garden were blooming, and the colours looked beautiful in the last of the sunlight. The stone cottage was covered in vines, and the sea was just visible on the horizon. Remus could, and often would, sit on the shore for hours, just watching the waves.

Sirius pulled a simple iron key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. “Remus?” he called out, “I’m home!”

“In here, love!” Remus’s voice came from the back of the house, and Sirius headed towards the kitchen, where he found that Remus had already started cooking. He put the basket on the table and draped himself across Remus’s back, pressing a kiss to the nape of his neck.

“Supper smells lovely,” he murmured.

“I’m glad you approve,” Remus said with a smile. “I thought I ought to make something nice today, as the anniversary of the day we met.”

“And you were right, of course.” Sirius peeled himself off of Remus and started putting the groceries away. “Shall we go to the seaside tonight? Look at the stars? I bought a cake from the bakery.”

“That sounds divine,” Remus nodded his approval, and Sirius gave an excited little hop. He put the cake on the counter, still neaty in its box, and knocked Remus’s hands away when he tried to open it.

“It’s a _surprise_ ,” he said, and Remus laughed.

“All right, I won’t peek.”

“Excellent.” Sirius kissed Remus on the cheek. “I’m going to go get changed. Do you need any help before I go?”

“No, love, I think I’ll be fine without you,” Remus’s smile was teasing, and Sirius heaved a dramatic sigh.

“I can’t believe you don’t _want_ me here,” he began, and Remus laughed and shooed him away.

“Go on, I’m nearly finished and then I’ll come join you.”

“I hope you do!” Sirius called from the stairs.

In their bedroom, Sirius opened the wardrobe and smiled. They had been living here together for almost six months now, but there was still something surreal about this, about seeing their shirts hung side by side in a wardrobe, that always made Sirius deliriously happy.

He pushed the shirts aside, and reached into the back of the wardrobe, looking for something that he hadn’t worn in almost a year.

“Ah! Here we are!” Sirius pulled out the red jacket, the only item he had brought with him that hinted at his former status. It hadn’t seemed like something to leave behind.

He put on the jacket and smoothed his hair down. He eyed himself in the mirror, then retied his hair with a red ribbon. Satisfied, he sat on the bed to wait for Remus. A letter from Regulus sat open on the bedside table, and Sirius picked it up, rereading it to pass the time.

_Sirius & Remus,_

_Mrs Evans thanks you for the birthday present. She says it is the most wonderful tea cozy she has ever owned, and she uses it constantly. (Sirius, I beg you not to let your ego grow too much because of this. It is exceedingly obvious that it is your first attempt at knitting and I expect you to send me a jumper once you learn to use knitting needles properly.)_

_Remus, congratulations on the teaching job! I have absolute belief in you. You will be an excellent teacher, and the children will adore you. Do send me all the stories, children are endlessly entertaining._

_Sirius, any luck with that tailor? He seems to be intensely stubborn, but I have faith that you will wear him down. I only hope that your sewing skills are better than your knitting ones, or else he will never take you on as an apprentice. I strongly advise you against quitting your job at the pub, as the tailor seems unlikely to give in soon and you do need money before the school opens up._

_Things are going well here. Lily and James and I are planning a gift for your birthday, Sirius, that I am sure you will appreciate. I will not tell you any more, however much you beg, because it will be best as a surprise. No, we do not accept bribes._

_James visits often–in fact, he is transcribing this letter for me (Hello! – James). He is insistent on coming with me next time I visit, as is Lily, so I hope that you have space for all three of us. We come as a package these days._

_We must make plans to see each other this Christmas. Doctor and Mrs Evans absolutely insist and will not take no for an answer. I do not think that either of you will complain._

_And now James is complaining that his wrist is sore, but I suspect ulterior motives (He looks very pretty right now and I want to admire him, can I be blamed for that? – James). But no matter his motivation, he is refusing to write for too much longer, and so I will wish you both good luck, and I will send you all of my love._

_Regulus_

“Have you written back yet?” Remus asked as he rummaged through the wardrobe.

“No, I haven’t. I’ll do that tomorrow. Right now,” Sirius said with a grin as Remus pulled off his shirt, “I have more important matters to attend to.”

“Like watching me get dressed?”

“One of my favorite pastimes.”

“Second only to watching me get _un_ dressed.”

“I don’t think you can blame me for that.”

Remus laughed, and leaned over to kiss Sirius. “No, I cannot.”

Sirius hummed happily as Remus kissed him again. “Good. Now,” he looked Remus up and down. “Are you ready for some stargazing?”

“Absolutely.”

Sirius stood up and, taking Remus by the hand, pulled him out of the room and down the stairs. “Excellent! I hear the moon is supposed to be beautiful tonight.”

“Oh, is it?” Remus laughed.

Sirius looked at him, a soft smile on his face. “Yes, it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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**Author's Note:**

> Mod Note:
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